Syrena
by ElisiansBane
Summary: The merpeople are both feared by the humans and coveted for their magic and beauty. Prince Yuuri and merman Wolfram begin a friendship that becomes something more amidst the hatred of their people. WxY AU.
1. Chapter 1

Syrena

Summary: The merpeople are feared by humans. They hunt humans for food, destroying ships and killing hundreds of people. Yuuri was taught to fear them, until he met Wolfram.

Hello everyone! This is just a short story I thought up a while ago. I don't think there's been a mermaid fiction in KKM, so here it is! I say "mermaid fiction", because I don't want people to think I'm going to copy Hans Christian Anderson story or, god-forbid, Disney. This will be dark, sexy, violent, and sad.

Also, this has been classified as an Alternate Universe. As such, the characters may act a little different from their canon environment, that's because they are in a different environment, but their core personality traits will be maintained to the best of my skill.

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Syrena – Childhood

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This is a story that has been forgotten; forgotten in the sense that with the advent of technology, science, and apathy, there is no longer a place for stories such as this. There is no place for so-called fairytales that are meant only for children's bedtime stories. They are believed to be fictional, superstitions and primitive. They are remnants of a time when people were simple, knew little and didn't have the luxuries of now that allow people to become more "enlightened". A story like this is considered a fancy and from a time that people forgot.

But this is a true story. It is true because this is a story that embodies the truest of human emotions – love, hatred, jealousy, obsession and utter joy. Its truth lies in its raw emotion and wisdom. It is a story of two people, a young human prince and a little merboy. Their love was forbidden, it was deemed unnatural by both their families and by their societies. They were natural enemies, meant to kill and feed from each other. They were monsters to each other, abominations that threatened their existence. Or so they were taught to believe. But none counted for the power of childhood innocence and happenstance. None counted for the storm and the fishermen that would bring them together as babes, thus beginning a years' long romance that followed the two into adulthood and culminated into something frightening and beautiful.

Our story begins in a beautiful country, on a stormy spring night. In this country, there was a kingdom ruled by the Shibuya family. In this kingdom, there was a castle in which a harried king paced frantically outside the royal bedchamber, while his wife, the Queen, struggled through the pains of childbirth. Her terrible cries echoed through the vast marble hallways of the palace. All the servants and guards listened carefully; waiting for any orders for their assistance of anything should go wrong. Their beloved queen was such a treasure to all, such a kind and joyous woman. Hearing her in such pain and being helpless to aid her was difficult for them. Her last pregnancy had been a trial, the doctor had even said for her not to have another child. But Queen Miko wanted another child, lonely now that her son had become a youth, and preferred to be with his father hunting instead of with her.

Now her husband, King Shouma, wished she had listened to the healers. He wished he had been more forceful with her. He was happy with their son and heir, Shouri. The boy was his father's pride, everything he could want in a son. They didn't need another child.

The sounds of the raging storm outside the castle soothed the king. He listened to the sounds of the rain pounding against the great windows. He looked outside and could see the great waves crashing against the cliff upon which his castle sat. The beaches were completely flooded up to the boardwalk that lined the city. Lightening flashed across black clouds bathing everything in electric blue light for an instant, long enough for King Shouma to see the worry lines on his face reflected in the cool glass.

The sounds of the storm were joined by the weak cries of an infant. Shouma turned around just as the door behind him creaked open, the healer Gisela stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the warm light from inside the bedroom. Shouma didn't linger on the calm and tired face of the healer; instead he looked at the small, squirming bundle in her arms.

"Is that…." Shouma whispered in awe, reaching hesitantly for the little bundle.

Gisela smiled brightly and obligingly handed over the child to his father.

"A boy, your Majesty. A beautiful, healthy boy."

"A boy…" Shouma breathed, taking the child eagerly into his arms. The child wriggled at the movement, face scrunched up, and eyes blinking at this new object that entered his young blurry vision. Shouma gazed in wonder at the little life in his arms; His second son.

"My son," Shouma cooed, stroking away thing tendrils of black hair - the royal black hair of the Shibuya Dynasty. "My son."

"He is named Yuuri," Gisela said as she watched father and son bond.

"Yuuri…" Shouma murmured. The name suited him. "The Queen picked that?"

"Yes, your Majesty," Gisela nodded.

Shouma smiled. "Sounds like something she would pick."

"He is named for the month in which you two were married," Gisela explained. "It holds a special meaning to you both."

"It does," Shouma said, barely paying attention to what the healer was saying. He was too busy taking in the beauty of his second son, Yuuri, named for the month of roses, summer and hope; a fitting name for such a sweet child. Shouma' eyes scanned every detail of the round little face, memorizing every wrinkle, curve and color. The babe's cheeks were tinged pink and stained with tears from his first breaths. His eyes were dark and big, staring into Shouma's soul with uncanny astuteness. Little swirls of dark hair framed his face. The child wiggled his pointed nose when Shouma brushed a calloused finger over it, full lips pouted for a split second before the child let out a tiny sneeze. The surprised look on the infant's face made Shouma laugh aloud, enthralled by his son's shock at his first sneeze.

The baby reminded him so much of his wife.

Shouma looked up at the healer with worry. "The queen…is she alright?"

The king was immediately filled with relief when Gisela smiled reassuringly.

"She is exhausted, but she is fine. The delivery went through with nary a hitch. Would you like to see her?"

"Yes, yes." Shouma said as he sped past the healer, holding tightly to his dear son.

The room was permeated with the scent of medicines and incense. Candelabras decorated the room providing light for the healers as they worked. Soiled cloths and fresh linens littered the room. Souma sidestepped a basin filled with hot water.

In the center of the room was the bed upon which lay the exhausted Queen, Miko. Shouma approached the bed slowly, taking in his wife's haggard, but strangely peaceful, appearance.

She heard him draw near and slowly opened dark eyes and smiled at her husband. Her smile only grew more when she saw him holding their newborn son.

"Darling," She said.

"Love, how are you feeling?" Shouma asked, worry written all over his face.

"I am tired, but I am fine now that our son is born," She said weakly. She tried to push herself up from the bed to see better, but her arms gave out and she fell back onto the pillow with a gasp.

Shouma shifted baby Yuuri to his other arm and petted her sweat soaked hair with his free hand.

"Don't move," He commanded gently. "You must rest."

"Come sit by me," Shouma immediately sat down carefully next to his wife. She smiled and reached out to grab their son's tiny fist. "Isn't he beautiful, Shouma?" Miko asked, stroking the tiny finger with her thumb.

"He is very beautiful," Shouma agreed, giving the child a small hug.

"I sent the maids to get Shouri," Miko said. "He'll be happy to see his new baby brother."

"He has always wanted a little brother," Shouma said absently, staring into the stormy eyes of his son.

"Shouma," The sudden seriousness in Miko's voice made Shouma look up from his child. Her face was trained into an uncharacteristic frown as she looked at him.

"Our son was born during a hurricane," She said with a mixture of wonder and reverence as she gripped the child's fist. "You know what that means,"

Of course Shouma knew what it meant. Hurricanes were of the gods that brought destruction and renewal to the land. It was the moment when sea and earth met and become entwined in each other, when the powers of the universe and the gods met and created something powerful and dangerous. A child born during a hurricane was believed to either bring about tremendous change or destruction. It depended on what the sages predicted with their gold plated instruments. Whatever the case, Shouma hoped it meant good fortune for their kingdom. But the ways of the gods and the world were tempestuous and fickle.

"A child as sweet as this could only bring goodness to our kingdom," Shouma said with more confidence and optimism than he actually felt.

"I hope so, darling," Miko said. "He is my world. Both my sons are my world. I would never wish any harm to befall them."

"It won't, love. I promise you,"

Miko opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted when a young boy of eight burst into the room followed by his exasperated nanny and two maids, demanding to see his new baby brother.

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At the same time, far away beyond the shore of the kingdom, deep under the tumultuous waves and violent lightening. The water was calm, save for the occasional flashes from the surface and the muted tympani of the thunder. In an under water cave, illuminated by precious gemstones, another birth was about to take place. A birth that was vastly different from the human miracle of childbirth.

A merwoman, for she was mated and too old to be called a mermaid, watched anxiously as the opaque placenta-like cocoon quivered and jerked as her newest offspring showed the first signs of life. The birthing season for merpeople was short, just a couple of weeks out of the spring and hers was the last to be born. The other merwomen had already hatched their young and moved on to the vast kelp forests where they would raise their young in relative safety. Out here in the underwater caves was no place to raise young merchildren. There were too many places to get lost or run into predators who reveled in the supple tasty flesh of young merpeople. The caves only served as closed off and isolated places to keep their eggs.

"Come on, little one," She urged, rubbing the membrane with her webbed hand.

She started when a particularly loud thunder tore through the water. Everything was always louder under the surface. The cocoon twitched at the tremendous sound. She immediately cooed and soothed the frightened child within.

"You can do it," she said. "You don't want to stay in there forever, do you? All the other children have gone. You don't want to be alone, do you?"

The egg only twitched, the dim outline of a fin smacked against the walls of the placenta.

"Don't be alarmed. I won't leave you. But we must leave soon or the others will leave us. You want to meet your cousins, don't you? Everyone is waiting."

The squirming shadow inside stilled. The merwoman became worried. She placed both hands on the egg, willing all her strength into the little body inside.

"I know you're frightened," she whispered soothingly. "The storm is loud and fierce. But you are strong and smart. You can face any challenge if you put your mind to it. This is just one of many, my dear. You can do it."

The child inside moved. She held her breath. As if spurred on by its mother's words, the little merchild renewed its efforts to be born. She watched as little claws tore at the thick membrane. A little tail swiped and swung to force the little form through the skin.

"That's it! That's it!" She cried in excitement. "Harder, love! Try harder. Use those strong claws I gave you!"

She clenched and unclenched her hands. She desperately wanted to help her child. But law dictated that she must let it force its own way out. This was a test.

"You can do it! You can do it!" She chanted over and over again, urging the child, encouraging it to prove its worth as a member of the noble merpeople.

She gave a great yell of joy when her child's sharp little claws finally broke through the tough egg. A little hand burst forth waving around violently and tore a great hole in the membrane for the rest to follow. Another hand pushed through, followed by arms, a head, neck, shoulders, torso and finally the prettiest silver tail she had ever seen.

She reached out to catch the struggling merchild as it fell from the safe confines of the egg. She gathered the little child into her arms, cooing and cuddling, looking on proudly at her new baby.

And what a lovely baby it was! Silver scales covered its body, from the tip of the tail to the neck, and framing an angelic face. Blonde hair, rare among the merpeople and identical to his mother, floated in little tendrils around the small face. The child blinked up at her curiously, stretching a little hand out to pull at the shell beads in her hair.

"I knew you could do it," She said proudly. "Such a wonderful child. My child."

Upon closer examination of the infant, the merwoman was delighted to see she had a son. Sons were rare among the matriarchal merpeople. Only every few years was a male merchild born to their people, making reproduction slow and arduous. Her little son would be well prized among her people.

The child opened his eyes and she was even more elated to find that he had the greenest eyes she had ever seen! Most merpeople had red or black eyes. She was delighted that she would be granted good fortune during her motherhood. Green-eyed children brought good luck and happiness to those they loved.

The lightening crashed above her. Despite their depth, she could hear the storm clearly. She was filled with awe and apprehension when she realized that her son was born during a hurricane. Hurricanes were bad omens among the merpeople. Those born during one were thought to be bad luck as well. Her happiness dissipated. Her special son would still be tainted by the circumstances of his birth. She hoped his maleness would make up for it.

It didn't matter, she thought to herself. She loved her son anyway, nothing would change that. She would raise him to be a good merman, worthy of his people's pride.

Snuggling the little merboy to her breast, she made her way back to the kelp forest. She swam in a hurry, eager to get out of the lonely underwater caves, thoughts of her son and his birth rattling at her mind.

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The little baby boy wiggled as the High Priestess anointed him with the sacred oils. He was more interested in the bright colors and glittering lights that engulfed the royal reception hall. Queen Miko held onto her rambunctious child tightly, trying to keep him still while the priestess recited the rites. She felt no ill will toward her child for she shared in his impatience and boredom at the stuffy affair. She was as eager to show off her pretty son as any new mother, but the queen had little patience for the pomp and politics that ruined what should have been a lovely evening with friends.

Yuuri let out an indignant yelp when the High Priestess tapped his forehead with the scepter that he had tried vainly to grab at.

"In the name of the Great One and the Gods who serve him, I name thee Prince Yuuri of Shibuya, son of their Majesties, King Shouma and Queen Miko," the High Priestess said over the soft whimpers of the child. "May your days be filled with happiness and prosperity as the gods have smiled on you this day."

"Hush, child," Queen Miko whispered to the wriggling baby, trying to go unnoticed by the disproving nobles. "We're almost done."

"Miko," Shouma said sternly between pressed lips. "Keep him quiet!"

"I'm trying!" She whispered back hotly as Yuuri's cries began to grow steadily. "Be quiet, child!" She gently rocked Yuuri in her arms to calm him, which much to her relief, seemed to work.

'Finally!' Queen Miko thought when the Priestess reached the end of her monologue. Yuuri was bored and probably hungry. The sooner she could get the child out of there the better.

The High Priestess raised her voice to the audience. "I present to the honorable nobility, His Royal Highness, Prince Yuuri of Our Divine Family of Shibuya! May he live forever!"

As if on cue, Yuuri let out a tremendous scream that echoed through the great hall. Chandeliers quivered and people covered their ears as the high-pitched squeal tore through the air, informing everyone that his Royal Highness had reached the limit of his patience.

This left the King and Queen standing on the dais sheepishly as the queen held a squirming, crying baby. Both felt unusually small when the nobility turned indignant glares upon them.

"Get that child out of here!" Shouma hissed in embarrassment.

Queen Miko rushed off the platform, not letting any maid take her son, and scurried out of the hall. Only when she got into the main corridor, did she let out a hearty laugh and ruffled her son's hair, thanking him for getting her out of that terrible place. Thanking the gods for her hilarious and no-nonsense son.

Yuuri grew into a sweet young boy after that. Having made his statement to the rest of the nobility, it was unnecessary for Yuuri to be in the center of attention of anyone other than his parents. Yuuri delighted everyone in the castle, earning many friends with his bright eyes and sweet smile. He would Garden with his mother, play dress up and read stories with her that his brother no longer did. Yuuri would go out into the woods and play with his father, be given his first training sword made of wood, his first pony to ride alongside his brother, and generally enjoying the pleasures of childhood.

Queen Miko was in love with her son. She often neglected her duties to go and visit her son during all hours of the day, stealing him from his nursemaid and taking him on walks along the beach. Miko learned very early on that her son was drawn to the sea. The boy would go still in her arms and just watch the ebb and flow of the tides for as long as she deigned to stand there with him. When Yuuri became old enough to sit up, Miko would bring a blanket and set him upon it. Yuuri would then immediately begin to play in the sand, grabbing at whatever little crabs and shell were within his reach. Miko also learned that Yuuri would stick anything in his mouth if it was small enough and so she had to keep her eyes on him at all times.

Things became more difficult when Yuuri learned to walk. The second Miko's arms grew tired and she sat him down on the sand, the young prince would stand up and waddle as fast as he could towards the water, giggling and oblivious to the potential dangers. Miko, or her handmaiden, would chase after him and sweep him into protective arms. Yuuri would then proceed to throw a terrible fit uncharacteristic of the gentle child. Unless he was released promptly, Yuuri would continue to scream until they carried him back to the palace.

When the sage had spoke of Yuuri's birth, he predicted that Yuuri would inherit the traits of the sea. He would be a gentle, kind and helpful being one second, and then in the next could become a terrible force of will and strength that would devastate those who stood in his way. Miko would see the truth in the sage's words when she would tell Yuuri it was time to go home for diner, and the child would wail when she picked him up from his toys of shells and sticks. Yuuri was as tumultuous, and unpredictable as the sea.

The sage had warned them that Yuuri had bonded to the sea during the storm; his soul was forever tied with the ocean and its powers. This would prove true as Yuuri's fascination with the sea would grow as he matured into a boy of six years. Yuuri would run away from his tutors and nursemaids, whenever he could, and play on the beach far away from the watchful eyes of the staff and his parents. He would disappear for hours on end, playing in the waves and sand, ignoring the desperate cries of his attendants as they searched for him. Yuuri would always return eventually and when asked where he had been, the child would always reply "I was looking for something."

It was on a family outing that Yuuri would find what he had been looking for. It was a warm summer afternoon, the royal family had decided to go out to the beach during a rare moment in which they could be a normal family. Miko had prepared a basket of delicious foods with her own hands for this event. Her husband brought along fishing poles and bait to teach his sons how to fish. Yuuri, and his older brother, Crown Prince Shouri, carried little buckets for collecting seashells and other treasures they might find.

The family chattered excitedly as they approached a rocky outcrop near the shore. The rocks held little pools filled with small fish and crustaceans, as well as many shells to add to the children's collection, it was also shielded from the powerful winds, making it a perfect place for a family picnic. Shouma and Miko carefully set out the blanket while the two boys rushed towards the tidal pools in search of adventure.

The two boys wandered about the rocks, climbing and jumping from one place to the next, playing games with the waves and collecting shells to add to their already huge collection in the nursery. Shouri walked away from where Yuuri waded in a small pool to harass a flock of seagulls. The older boy laughed as he ran through the flock sending the bird into the air, flapping his arms like them in the hopes that he may too gain flight.

Yuuri wasn't interested in such things. His love was for the water and the secrets it held. He climbed shakily among the rock pools, disregarding any dangers that may be there. Yuuri smiled every time he picked up a colorful shell and placed it in his little bucket. He climbed further and further up the rock barrier, high enough to see out into the ocean. He wished that he could go out farther. He wanted to see more of this fascinating world. His storybooks and nursery rhymes told him of a magical place beneath the surface, with sharks, whales, and mythical creatures known as mermaids. Yuuri loved mermaids and read everything he could about them. They were the most beautiful creatures in the world and could heal all illnesses with one kiss. They were the best singers and knew all the secrets of the universe. Yuuri would have loved to meet a real mermaid. He had so many questions and, maybe if they became friends, they would let him go under the water and visit them. He was sure that their magic would make it possible for him to survive under water. That would be fantastic.

Yuuri sat on a warm rock and let his imagination run away. He sat there on that rock for a long while dreaming of great ships and magical creatures. He conjured magnificent adventure after magnificent adventure all involving in one way or another, a mermaid – or the occasional sea dragon that he, as the brave sailor of yore, would conquer with a single swing of his mighty sword. He would be known as a great warrior and sailor, not only conquering his enemies on land but at sea as well.

Yuuri was so caught up in his daydreams that he nearly missed the strange shimmer in the water. He caught the glint of what seemed like scales out the corner of his eyes. Coming out of his dream world, he looked closer into the water, beyond the outcrop of rocks right where the water became too deep for children to swim in. He saw the huge fin of a fish. But it was unlike another fish he had known.

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With a flick of his tail, Wolfram swatted the empty turtle shell over the makeshift net, scoring a point for his side.

The other merchildren cheered as their team gained the lead on their made up game. It was one of those rare moments that Wolfram could enjoy the company of other merchildren and not feel awkward. Wolfram rarely played with merchildren his age, finding them immature, superficial and far too skittish for his liking. No one ever wanted to go on his adventures to the "super-shallows" as they named it, where the humans liked to swim – if they could even call it that. The human's awkward kicking and paddling looked nothing like swimming to Wolfram's young eyes. It just looked embarrassing.

Wolfram had wanted to venture out on his own today, but in an attempt to draw his interest away from the shore, his mother forced him to go with her on an outing with the other merwomen and their offspring, for a relaxing day in the reef. Read; boring.

Well, it wasn't entirely boring. Wolfram was more than happy to show off his athletic skills at their games of tag and this new game that one of the merchildren claimed he had seen when he explored with his father along the shore. Valla-bowl or so he said it was called.

It made Wolfram happy that he was proficient at a human game. He found it to be more challenging and exciting than the simple merchildren games they played.

He had just swatted the next ball over the net when a great shadow cast over their playground. The stern calls from the merwomen perched nearby and the frightened yelps of his playmates made Wolfram eyes roll when he turned towards the looming mass. His irritation turned to fear when he noticed the large fishing net trailing behind the fishing vessel.

"Wolfram!" He heard his mother shriek. "Get down!"

Wolfram obeyed and ducked into a nearby nook, under a large rock, just was the ship passed over them, well out of the way of the nets. Fishing nets were a terrible danger to merchildren. They were too young to have grown sufficient claws that were sharp enough to cut through the heavy nets. So they had to swim and hide as fast as they could, lest they get caught and drown. or worse – be caught and then sold by the humans.

He watched the ship pass over them in fascination. He would have loved to have the chance to see what was above on the ships. He had only been to the surface to breathe air and all he ever saw was a vast landscape of sea and sky, never any great ships or skippers that his mother told him about. He had never seen a human before. They were the stuff of scary stories and funny tales from the grown-ups. He would love to meet one someday. Just to see if they were really as monstrous as his mother had told him.

As one can see, Wolfram was a merchild seemingly immune to fear. He had been that way since his hatching. His mother and the other merwomen didn't know what to do with him sometimes. He ignored their warnings and trailed after the humans or explored their sunken ships with nary a hesitation. As a matter of fact, the more scary stories they told him, the more warnings they gave him, the more Wolfram wanted to see the shore and the humans. Danger be damned.

He watched in awe as the ship passed over, a great hulking shadow that blocked the sunlight. The net, now filled with fish, dragged behind it, the various cables and ropes groaning under the weight. Wolfram recognized the school of fish from a just few minutes before when they had swum through their playing field.

"Oh no!' Wolfram heard one of the merchildren squeak. "Our ball!"

As soon as she said that, Wolfram saw their turtle shell float past him, caught on the net. He groaned when he remembered all the effort that had gone into hunting the turtle and cleaning its shell. Wolfram hated turtle, but his mother told him to never waste, so he made the merchildren eat it for their lunch while he found some crab to munch on as he scraped it clean.

"I'll get it," he announced without thinking.

The merchildren gasped.

"No you can't," said one. "You'll be caught!"

"It's too dangerous," said another. "You'll get in trouble!"

"Of course I can get it!" He snorted, now that he had said he would, his pride was on the line. "I'll just cut it off and it's done. No big deal."

"Don't do it!" They cried.

"It's easy," he said haughtily. "I'm not a coward like you guys!"

"Then show us!" said one of the merboys, a brutish type that Wolfram disliked intensely.

"I will!" he said and crept out of his hiding spot.

He stopped for just a moment and looked to see where his mother was. She had resettled on the rock with her friends, chatting as if a dangerous ship hadn't just passed over their precious children. Such was the way of life of the merpeople. One learned early on that one's self was the most reliable person to have around. Merchildren who couldn't survive on their own to an extent were discarded by the community. Their life was too dangerous ad tumultuous to coddle every merchild. It was strictly the strongest who survived and the strongest offspring required very little supervision.

When his mother's attention was elsewhere, Wolfram crept out of his hole and stared at the wake of the ships path.

"Scared?" the brute merboy sneered. Wolfram glared at him

"No! I can't very well chase after them if I don't know which way it went!" he huffed.

The brute merboy pointed in the direction of the ship. "It went that way," He drawled.

Wolfram hissed at that other merboy and quickly swam after the ship. A swell of excitement quashed his fear. The ship was heading towards the shore, towards the humans!

Cheri proudly watched her son swim around with the other merchildren. The boy had grown so much in the past few years into a bright and vibrant merchild. She watched him do flips, barrel rolls and sprints through the bright blue water. This was their summer dwelling. The water was warm and bright. The currents were gentle enough for young fins to swim about without help. The fish were small enough for merchildren to practice hunting skills on their own. It was perfect.

Cheri sat with the other merwomen on a huge, coral covered rock just below the waves. They combed each other's hair while they gossiped and kept a watchful eye on their children, but still kept their distance. Merchildren needed to learn quickly to fend for themselves. Merpeople rarely traveled in groups unless it was during migration or mating season. Even though this was the safest area of the sea, one could never be too cautious about a shark that may wander into the shallows looking for an easy snack – and a young merchild was easy enough prey.

Cheri called out to her son when a great ship passed over and he was the last one to find a hiding place, choosing instead to stare in fascination at the lumbering vessel right where he floated. Cheri had been gifted with probably the most rambunctious and reckless child in history. The merwomen teased her endlessly about her constant trailing of her son's activities, chasing him around and dragging him back screaming from whatever thing that had caught his interest, usually it was something that had to do with those damned humans. Last time it was a ship the merpeople had brought down for a feeding. Instead of eating like the rest of them, Wolfram wanted to look at the paintings and statues that had fallen overboard. Cheri had to bodily remove the boy from the bowls of the ship, lest he get dragged down with the wreck. But of course, Wolfram wouldn't budge unless she helped him carry several of his newfound toys to their grotto.

Cheri sighed in relief. Today, Wolfram seemed content to play with the other merchildren, far away from any humans. She would never understand the boy's interest in those horrid creatures. They were enemies of the merpeople, that's all he needed to know. Who cared how they were able to live on land and they didn't? The humans were the bane of their people. They polluted the ocean, poached them for their scales to make medicine and decorations, blocked the sun with their fat ships and poisoned the water with their waste. They were disgusting and should be avoided at all costs.

Yes, Cheri was happy that Wolfram was far away from any…..

"Cheri?" one of her friends spoke up from where she sat.

"Yes?" Cheri looked at her friends and then noticed that the other merwoman was looking at the group of merchildren curiously.

"I don't see your boy anywhere," The other one said. "Where did he go?"

Cheri followed her friend's gaze. She quickly scanned over the bobbing heads and tails of the merchildren seeking out the unique head of blond hair. She gasped in worry when she failed to locate her son. She followed the merchildren's gaze where the ship had disappeared, a sudden dread growing in her stomach when she watched the distant blur of the ship and what appeared to be the glittery shine of a tiny tail flapping after it.

"Gods!" She cried out in frustration and briefly contemplated just letting the boy go. But her motherly instincts – and her son being the last of her clan's legacy – forced her to get up and chase after her exhausting child.

Wolfram congratulated himself on his cleverness. In the mayhem of the dozen or so merchildren, Wolfram managed to sneak away while his mother was busy talking with his aunts. For his mother's sake, he had made an effort to interact with the other merchildren, but found their company lacking. All they wanted to do was play games with the fish and seals, hunt for shells and other mindless things. Wolfram was above all that. He wanted to explore the reef. Go where few had gone before. He didn't want to stay confined to the small clearing the merwomen had marked out for them. He knew every corner and hole in that reef and didn't care to examine it again. His interest lay with the surface.

Today was the day. Wolfram would finally be brave enough to rescue their turtle shell and simultaneously break the surface of the ocean and see where the humans dwelled. He would often follow underneath their great ships – when his mother wasn't paying attention – and listen to the fascinating noises from above. Merpeople didn't have musical instruments like the humans, only their voices, which were the most beautiful voices in the land, but they didn't intrigue Wolfram the way the humans instruments did. He would hear the sounds of flutes and violins well into the night. He dearly wanted to see them for himself.

And they had fire! Or that's what one of the older merchildren had told him. The humans possessed this strange thing called 'fire' that they used to light the night sky. Wolfram would watch in awe as the sent little fireballs into the sky that would burst into an array of vibrant colors across the black sky and shine through the murky waters where he hid. Wolfram desperately wanted to see their airborne fire up close.

He was well aware of the stories his mother had told him of the humans. They were frightening creatures who preyed on young merchildren, stole their scales and sold them to these things called freak shows. They hunted his people for their healing abilities, fins, and for sport. He was told to stay away from them, but he couldn't. He didn't know why he could never stay away from the humans. He was drawn to them like they had something he needed but didn't know what. It was a pull that he felt every minute of every day of his young life to the point that it nearly drove him mad.

Well, today he would find what it was that bade him to go near the human world and all its dangers.

Wolfram smiled when he reached the waters just beyond the shore. Here the water was a pale blue and crystal clear, he could see for miles around him, here the fish were smaller and more colorful. It was warm and the current was slightly stronger as it hit the swells of sand underneath.

Wolfram hesitated. Did he dare go farther? This would be the closest to the shore he had ever been in his life. A sudden fear struck him. What if the humans really were as monstrous as they had told him? What if the second he stuck his head above the surface they shoved a spear through his eye?

Maybe he should go back…

Wolfram shook his head. No, he wouldn't! He would prove to the other merchildren that he was brave enough to go near the humans' ships and rescue their toy. It was worth the adventure and he wouldn't have to make a new shell.

He followed the ship to a dock where there were other ships waiting. He stayed a fair distance away, just enough to see the ship's path.

The water became more shallow and crowded, with sea creatures and various objects dropped into the water to hang from the ships and docks. He carefully weaved through the various obstacles with ease, always staying behind the ship, and eyes trained on the turtle shell toy caught in the algae covered nets.

Finally the ship came to a stop in front of the largest dock. Wolfram heard the muffled cries and shouts from the humans on the ship and those ashore. He dared to swim up to the hull of the ship, trying to get into a position to retrieve his toy.

Wolfram looked up at the surface just mere feet above him. He could see the shadows of humans walking up and down the dock from the ship. He watched in curiosity as they greeted each other and pointed at the large net of fish.

A loud thump and the sound of ropes straining distracted Wolfram from his observations. He gasped in horror when the net began to rise to the surface. The fish trapped inside wiggled frantically as they were hauled to their doom along with Wolfram's shell.

Wolfram hurriedly grasped for the shell and tugged as hard as he could, but it was caught fast in the ropes. He would have to cut it out. He wasn't sure if his little claws and teeth were sharp or strong enough to break through, but if he could get just a little tear he could force the shell through the hole.

Nodding at his own plan, Wolfram swam up towards the shell. He would have to work quickly if he didn't want to be seen, or caught, by the humans. Not wasting another minute, he braced himself against the writhing net and began to chew at the ropes, biting down the panic as he drew ever closer to the surface and the voices of the humans grew louder with every second.

He managed to chew through one rope and immediately tried to wiggle the shell lose. He cursed when the hole was still too small for the large shell. He blew a stream of bubbles in annoyance and quickly chewed through another rope.

Wolfram was so focused on freeing the shell that he neglected to keep track of how close he was to the surface, until he suddenly broke through the water and the sun burned his delicate skin. He gasped at the blinding light and recoiled. The surprised shouts of the humans surrounded him. He looked around in a panic and met the shocked stares of the humans.

For a moment Wolfram's mind was blank. The only coherent thought he could muster was that he really wanted his mommy right then. The humans with their strange baggy skins and two scaleless legs underneath them, pointed at him angrily. Wolfram clung to the turtle shell, too shocked to think about fleeing. It wasn't until one of the humans smiled at him and picked up a smaller net and walked towards him, that he finally regained his senses and took off into the water, the angry shouts fading behind him.

Wolfram was so intent on fleeing as fast as he could, that he didn't pay attention to where he was going, which was further into the shallow, near the beaches where the humans liked to spend their time. All he thought about was getting as far away from those nets and angry humans as fast as possible.

Wolfram came to stop in front of a man made rock barrier. His mother had told him of these things. They were built by the humans to stop the sand from eroding. Wolfram hid at the base of the rocks, catching his breath and cursing the humans for taking his shell. His fear was replaced by anger when he thought of all the work that went into the shell. Not only would he not have a shell, but the other merchildren would think he had chickened out and ran before he even tried.

Pouting, Wolfram sank to the bottom of the rocks, glaring out at the waters where the docks were. He thought of how he could get out of this and save some face when he heard the sounds of humans above him. He immediately crouched down even further but relaxed when it was obvious he was well out of their line of vision. His ears perked up when he heard two higher pitched voices above him. One yelled and the other responded just above Wolfram. Wolfram's adventurous side was piqued. He had never seen small humans before. Maybe those were some now!

Figuring since he was there anyway, Wolfram cautiously rose to the surface. Mentally bracing himself, he poked his head above the water and was pleased that the sun didn't burn him here as much as it did back at the docks. He scanned the beach and saw two humans seated on a red piece of fabric talking quietly to each other. He looked towards where he thought he heard the voices. He saw two little humans walking along the beach. One was bigger than the other and running after a flock of seagulls, yelling and laughing. The other smaller one walked quietly behind him, swinging a container of some kind and occasionally picking up little shells along the beach.

He watched as the smallest of the two climbed on the rocks and sat down in front of the many tidal pools. The little human waded into one of the pools closest to Wolfram. The boy turned around giving him a full view of his face.

Wolfram immediately felt the consuming pull towards the human. He had never felt such a wave of emotion towards another being, a human for that matter. It was like a switch going off, like an epiphany to his childish mind. The second he laid eyes on the pretty child, he couldn't tear himself away. He greedily took in the features of the child. Black hair framed rosy cheeks, a small nose, full lips, dark eyes that stared right at him…

Wolfram gasped when he realized the child had noticed him, but instead of the fear he felt at his discovery with the ship humans, this time, he stared even deeper into the large black eyes. The human child stared back at him with a curious and surprised expression, but like Wolfram, there was no fear, only curiosity.

Wolfram sank a little into the water when the child hesitantly waved at him and then began to approach him, carefully climbing over the rocks to get closer. Wolfram watched the little child grunt and oomph over the wet, slippery terrain to get to him. Wolfram panicked, unable, or unwilling, to disappear and hide when the child got closer. His fears dissipated when the little human smiled widely at him when he stood just a few feet from him.

"Hello," said the little human.

"Hello," Wolfram said hesitantly, he knew little of human speech, so he only mimicked what he assumed was a greeting.

"I'm Yuuri," said the little human, Yuuri, pointing to his chest.

"I'm Wolfram," he replied, doing the same.

"Where did you come from?" Yuuri asked, tilting his head to the side cutely.

Wolfram was surprised, he thought that humans couldn't understand their tongue and neither could they theirs, but he understood Yuuri perfectly. Maybe the humans were teaching their young the merpeople's language?

"I'm from way over there," Wolfram said, pointing in what he thought was the general direction of his home.

Yuuri looked to where he pointed in confusion and then broke into giggles. "You're silly. You can't live out there!"

Wolfram was a little incensed. "Why not?" he said with a frown.

"Because there's nothing but water there," Yuuri explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Kids can't live in the water. You'll drown!"

"I don't drown!" Wolfram crossed his arms indignantly. "I live under the water! It's the land I can't be on! What a silly idea!"

"How can you live under the water?" Yuuri asked, confused.

"I go up for air once in a while and then go back under," Wolfram explained.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"Does what hurt?"

"Holding your breath," Yuuri said. "I can hold my breath for a minute and then my chest and head start to hurt, but my older brother Shouri can hold his for two whole minutes! We have contests to see who can hold theirs the longest and he always wins."

"Well, it doesn't hurt me," Wolfram said. Really, this was a strange tiny human! Didn't he know anything? "I can stay under for over an hour."

Yuuri leaned forward, eyes wide with awe. "Really? That's so cool!"

Wolfram smiled proudly of his superior breathing skills. "Really. When I'm older, I'll be able to stay under water for many hours like my mother, when my lungs grow bigger." He added.

"It would be so neat to swim under water for hours," Yuuri said wistfully, sitting back on his heels. "I've always wanted to know what's under the surface. I only know what's in these tide pools." Yuuri gestured disdainfully at his surroundings. "I know all of these pools. I've been down on this beach everyday since I was a baby with my mother. Now I want to see what's in the ocean, like, giant starfish, whales and even sharks!"

Wolfram crinkled his nose. "Starfish are boring. Giant starfish are even boring-er. Whales make pretty songs but they are slow and get in the way a lot. And what kind of crazy person wants to meet a shark? They're vicious, horrid creatures that eat little merchildren like me!"

"Sharks are cool!" Yuuri insisted. "They're big and have lots of teeth that grow back every time they lose one and they're the best hunters in the ocean!"

"Second best," Wolfram sniffed. "Merpeople are the best hunters." He stated with childish arrogance.

"Yeah," Yuuri conceded easily. "But I'll never meet a-" Yuuri froze when a sudden realization dawned on his little child mind. Free of adult-like suspicion and rationality, his innocent, imaginative mind was able to make a connection to the mysterious boy that appeared out of the water.

"What?" Wolfram said hesitantly. Not liking the way the strange tiny human suddenly went quiet as his eyes grew nearly three times their size.

"Are….are you a…mermaid?" Yuuri asked in a whisper, as if he spoke some forbidden word to his new friend.

Wolfram immediately tensed. He didn't mean to stick around this long or say so much. But he couldn't help the strange attraction he felt to this tiny human sitting on a rock. He was the first human Wolfram had ever seen up close and the only one who didn't scare Wolfram or cause his instincts to go on hyper-defense. Yuuri was…nice.

"Ah….well…" Wolfram stammered, slowly backing away from the rock where he had propped up on.

Yuuri followed him, moving forward on his hands and knees. "Are...you?" He wasn't going to let the pretty blonde boy get away without an answer.

"Well, yeah," Wolfram said without thinking. If Yuuri already knew of their kind then what was the point of lying? How else would he explain his appearance?

Yuuri spoke so quietly even Wolfram's acute hearing had to strain. "Can I see your tail?"

Wolfram thought for a moment. It was a simple enough request and Wolfram saw no harm in it. He carefully slid himself up onto the rock, slightly apprehensive as this was the first time he had ever come this far out of the water. He pulled himself onto his stomach and watched as Yuuri's eyes grew as big as saucers when he curled his tail upward out of the water.

It was the most beautiful thing Yuuri had ever seen. Wolfram's tail was brighter than any star in the sky, shinier than any gold or jewels the young boy had ever laid eyes on. It was a myriad of pale purple, blue and dark green. The gauzy fins that trailed down the sides sparkled in the sunlight as tiny droplets of seawater trickled down like clear pearls.

Yuuri reached out a hand cautiously, he longed to run his hand own the fins, to see if they were as smooth as they looked.

"C-can I….touch it?" Yuuri breathed, barely able to form words in his awe.

"Ummmm…yeah, sure," Wolfram shifted so that his tail was a little closer for Yuuri to reach.

Yuuri tentatively brushed his fingertips along the side of Wolfram's tail. He gasped and nearly yanked his fingers back when he made contact with the shimmering scales. They were smooth…and hard as steel. He flooded the gauzy fins over his fingers carefully, feeling their weight and running his fingertips over the veins that sat just underneath the strangely skin-like fin.

"It's so…shiny," Yuuri said, running his fingers over every available section of scale and fin, unaware of the tiny tremor going through Wolfram when his fins were touched ever so gently. It was the same way his mother would stroke him to sleep. Wolfram could feel his eyes getting droopy from the rhythmic stroking.

All too soon, Yuuri realized what he was doing and immediately withdrew his fingers. He still continued to stare wide-eyed at the little merboy, a thousand different thoughts were running through his mind. He couldn't believe it! An actual mermaid! He had only heard the horrific stories used as cautionary tales from his nurses to stay away from the deep waters. In his mind, merpeople were vicious animals that should be exterminated. But his child-like mind and unnatural draw to the sea kept the conditioned fear from having any hold on his young mind. The stories only made Yuuri want to explore them, to find these so called monsters and see if they were really as bad as he was told.

So far, it looked like the old stories from his nurses were grossly misinformed. Surely, this tiny little merboy in front of him couldn't capsize ships or tear the flesh from bones! Wolfram looked like the cherub dolls Yuuri saw in the market square, all blonde curls and big green eyes set inside a perfectly heart-shaped face. Surely he couldn't be dangerous!

"Can I see your legs?"

"What?" Yuuri said, jolted out of his thoughts. Wolfram had slid back into the water, with only his naked torso visible above the dark blue water.

Wolfram reached out and tapped Yuuri's booted foot. "I want to see your legs. You saw my tail. It's only fair."

A perfectly logical request. "Umm…okay."

Yuuri unfolded his legs and stretched them out before his new friend. Wolfram didn't have the same awe-struck reaction to Yuuri's clothed legs and Yuuri did to his fin. But the little merboy did reach out carefully to tug at Yuuri's brown trousers.

"Is this what you call skin?" Wolfram asked, tugging harder at the material.

"No," Yuuri said, catching his balance from Wolfram's harsh tugging. "It's my pants. My skin is underneath them."

Wolfram frowned in contemplation. Pants? He always thought that the strange colored materials that draped off humans were their skin. They were always wearing it, so he thought it must be some kind of protective covering, like crabs and their shells.

Wolfram lifted the hem of Yuuri's trousers and saw that the other boy was right. There was something underneath the cumbersome, rough pants. There was soft skin, much like the skin on his chest and arms. It was pink and warm from the hot sun. Wolfram slipped his fingers under the fabric to feel the skin and pressed down.

"Ouch!" Yuuri jolted back a little.

Wolfram looked up. "What?"

"You're fingernails are scratching me!" Yuuri whimpered.

Wolfram immediately withdrew his fingers. Yuuri noticed for the first time that Wolfram had very sharp nails. They were the same color as his own, but they tapered out into sharp points.

"Sorry," Wolfram mumbled, but continued to push Yuuri's trousers back to get a better view of his leg.

Yuuri leaned back on his hands to get more comfortable while Wolfram continued to examine him. He was giddy with delight at having found a nice mermaid! He couldn't wait to tell his family. Even better, Yuuri considered himself having made a new friend in the process. There were few children his age to play with and Shouri was often away during his lessons. Little fantasies of taking his new mermaid friend home to live in their pool danced through his head while he watched Wolfram explore his legs and feet, poking and pulling at his toes.

Wolfram was also thinking of his new discovery. A real life baby human! He couldn't wait to tell the other merchildren back home. They would be so impressed by his bravery! And maybe they would realize his cleverness for once. Wolfram liked Yuuri, the boy was nicer than the other merchildren Wolfram was forced to put up with on a nearly daily basis.

"Hey, Wolfram?"

"Yeah?"

Yuuri shifted shyly in his spot. "Do you want to go home with me? I can put you in my parents' pool and you can stay for a while. I have lots of questions to ask you and maybe once they see you, they'll understand that merpeople aren't bad."

Wolfram thought about it. He would get to see where the humans live! Think of the stories he would have when he got back to the colony! He'd be a hero!

A tiny voice inside his head that sounded suspiciously like his mother told him to swim away for it. They were humans. They were dangerous creatures that hunted his people for their scales and sold them into slavery when the opportunity arose. They couldn't be trusted; they were the enemies of the merpeople.

But Wolfram thought Yuuri was harmless – nice even. A little human wouldn't - couldn't do anything to hurt Wolfram. And besides, Wolfram had claws and teeth. He could easily fight of this pudgy human who didn't even have claws.

Wolfram was about to answer Yuuri, when a sudden shout from behind Yuuri made the two children turn to look at Yuuri's mother running frantically towards her son, pointing behind him and shouting, followed closely by his nurses and his father and brother.

"Yuuri!" His mother shrieked, reaching out and grasping at the air as she drew nearer. "Yuuri, get back now!"

"Mama?" Yuuri was confused and a little frightened. He had never seen his mother so hysterical before. Her hair and skirts trailed behind her as she struggled over the sand to get to her son.

"Yuuri!"

A splash sounded behind Yuuri and the screams of his family grew even louder. He slowly turned around to where Wolfram was, to find that his new friend was gone and in his place was the very monster of the sea he had been warned against.

She was covered completely in scales, her eyes were blood red, her hair fell in blonde tendrils down her exposed breasts, long fingers – longer than any human- were splayed out on the rock as she hoisted herself high into the air, snarling with long needle like teeth at the startled boy.

Yuuri was so in shock that he didn't even move when the angry merwoman drew her hand back and extended her claws to strike him. He only knew enough to curl in on himself and hide behind his hands when she let out a terrible snarl and brought her hand down.

But the blow never came.

Instead, there was a terrible shriek from the creature. Yuuri mustered enough bravery look between his fingers to see an arrow lodged in the merwoman's shoulder. She fell back into the water with a great splash and a howl. Her cries were overshadowed by the much louder and more hysterical cries of his mother. Yuuri was swept up into a pair of arms and carried away back towards the shore, jostled and dragged along as his mother struggled over the large rocks and tidal pools, taking care not to fall in lest hey become the creature's next meal.

Yuuri wasn't put down until they were far up shore, where the sand turned into grass. He was set down on the ground and was taken by both shoulders and shaken as his mother yelled down at him.

"What were you doing?" She cried, eyes wide with fear. "You stay away from those animals! You stay away from them! Do you understand me, Yuuri! Mama said to stay away from them. They were going to kill you!"

"B-but Mama!" Yuuri croaked as she continued to shake him and then crush him into her bosom. "I was just walking with Wolfram!"

"That thing was using her child to lure you in!" Miko seethed, turning to glare back at the creature who was gathering her own child into her arms and glaring back at the queen. "Disgusting! Awful creatures! Why won't Shouma just get rid of them! They're such pests!"

Miko looked down at her son, staring him into submission with her hazel eyes.

"You listen to me!" She hissed. "You never go near those creatures, Yuuri! Mama forbids it! Never go near them! I will not let you step foot on this beach again!"

Yuuri's eyes widened in horror. "No, Mama! I love the beach! I want to stay!"

"No, Yuuri!" Miko said resolutely. Though she loved spending time with her sons at the shore, if merpeople were coming this close to the beach, then it was no longer safe for her children.

Yuuri didn't know what to do. The merwoman was scary, but he still loved his days at the beach. It was an accident! What about Wolfram? He finally met a real mermaid and now he could never return to the shore again?

"Mama!" Yuuri started.

"No, Yuuri," Miko cut him off. She picked up her youngest son and carried him back to the palace, where Shouri and Shouma waited for them while Yuuri buried his face in her neck and cried at no longer being able to visit his beloved ocean or see Wolfram again.

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Wolfram was dragged harshly through the water behind his mother who had a firm hand on his wrist. He tried to pull away so he could swim himself, but her grip only tightened painfully while she continued to curse the dreadful humans.

"Horrible! Disgusting!" She hissed, bubbles floating up from her mouth with every word. "What were you thinking, Wolfram? You could have gotten caught or worse; killed! Stupid boy!"

"I was just looking, Mother!" Wolfram tried to explain, but was cut off by another rant.

"Just looking? Just looking? You could have been killed! They're humans, or did you forget what I've told you? They pollute our water and they hunt us! They put us into slavery in their wicked sideshows! Is that what you want Wolfram? To be some human's pet?"

"No, Mother!" Wolfram protested, not liking the idea of slavery at all. "I-I just wanted to prove how brave I was! I just wanted to see one up close like the scouts!"

"The scouts," Cecilie sneered. "Are grown merfolk, trained to find new and better places for us to live and feed. They don't go near the shore because it's fun! They go because the colony needs them to for survival!"

"I…" Wolfram looked down in shame. "I just wanted to see..."

"Why, Wolfram?" Cheri asked after a moment, completely baffled at her son's recklessness.

"I….I wanted to see a human…and he seemed nice so I didn't think it was dangerous."

"Oh, Wolfram," Cheri sighed angrily. "They could have been using their child to lure you into their trap! I wouldn't put it past them."

Cheri looked down at her son, who was staring at the fish that passed them by as they made their way back to the colony.

Her tone was absolute. "Wolfram, you are never allowed to go near the shore again."

Wolfram didn't say anything; he looked back sadly at the disappearing shelf as they went into deeper, safer, waters. He couldn't get the image of the human buy, Yuuri, out of his mind. He had never felt so drawn to another creature before. Not even to other mermaids. Cheri forbidding of returning to the shore filled him with sadness, but he swore in his heart that someday, he would find Yuuri again.

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Chapter one of my new story, named after the mermaid from POTC: On Stranger Tides.

I hope you all enjoyed this introductory chapter. Things will move at a greater pace?


	2. Chapter 2

Syrena Chapter Two

Hello, everyone! Thank your for all the reviews, they mean a lot to me. The reason I wrote this story because I was suffering from angst-itis from writing my other great opus The Haunting of Yuuri Shibuya. I'm still working on it, but I've hit this slump where I can't figure out what to do between the point it's at and the scene I have planned. But I shall trudge on until it is completed. In the meantime, please enjoy Syrena.

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Syrena Chapter Two – Samaritan

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For many months, Yuuri tried to sneak out from the watchful eye of his mother and nurse and creep down to the shore and the rocky outcrop where he had met the enchanting little mermaid. However, those around him soon learned of the surprisingly crafty young boy's antics and responded accordingly by locking the castle doors unless coming or going and always making sure a guard was watching him wherever he went. It was stifling and vexing to the adventurous boy and many a night and day he begged, whined and even screamed for his freedom. But his parents were steadfast; the fear of losing their son to one of those monsters was too great for them to be moved by childish threats and tears.

It was torture for Yuuri. No longer able to visit his beloved sea, he could only watch in growing resentment and jealousy as he watched his brother and his brother's friends venture out as they pleased to the beach and everywhere else in the castle city, while Yuuri was left to his own devices to play with the same toys and read the same books. The monotony nearly driving his young mind insane from the repetition of castle life.

Over the course of eight years, Yuuri forgot his childhood love of the sea as the mounting responsibilities of a prince distracted him from the things he loved most. Where he used to dream of the ocean and seeing Wolfram again, now Yuuri only thought of the sea in passing as he stared out in boredom during his tutor's lectures. Thoughts of Wolfram were equated as nothing more than a dream or something his mind had made up as a game.

It was exactly as his parents had planned, the Sage's words about their son and his obsession with the sea coupled with that fateful day, made them do anything in their power to make Yuuri forget the sea.

Now Yuuri's time was spent learning politics, military strategy, geography, and court etiquette and generally adjusting to life lived under his brother's shadow. It was decided early on that Yuuri's purpose in life was to serve his kingdom by serving his brother. Yuuri's education was only concerned with preparing the next military officer. Yuuri, despite whatever talent he might have with warfare, was guaranteed a position of high rank within the military. It was that and being a marriage prospect should the need arise for a new alliance to be made between his father's kingdom and another kingdom. The latter seemed the likeliest option for Prince Yuuri who wanted absolutely nothing to with anything related to the military. He disliked particularly the part where he would be in charge of their dealings with the merfolk, usually the extermination of them. It was messy, cruel work, but his teachers and parents made sure he was hardened to it.

Yuuri bore his upbringing with begrudging resignation, attending each and every social and educational obligation thrown his way, pushing thoughts of mermaids and ships far from his mind and replacing them with thoughts of "real life" and royal duty.

It would be eight years before Yuuri remembered his bond with the ocean. He was too old and wearied by his princely duties to even spare a thought as to why he always dreamed of blonde hair, green eyes and tri-colored scales. He couldn't spare a thought to wonder why his feelings stirred when he had those dreams or why he didn't share his family's hatred of merfolk.

It was one of those rare parties that his father held on one of their grand royal ships. His mother had told him that parties aboard a grand vessel were the norm before his birth, now some unspoken paranoia of his mother made the practice all but extinct. The only reason that tonight was the exception was that it was part of a sacred tradition that Yuuri didn't care to remember. It had something to do with a pact made by the sea and their god eons ago that ensured the prosperity of the kingdom or something like that.

Yuuri leaned over the railing of the huge ship the_ Maou_, named for an ancestor of the Shibuya dynasty. The music and raucous laughter carried on behind him as he watched the sun set over the sea's horizon. The party had only started about an hour ago, which had been devoted to formally greeting all one hundred and fifty guests, which nearly drove Yuuri to jump overboard. He hated greeting the aristocrats, he couldn't help but feel they thought him weird or airheaded, surely inferior to his perfect older brother, who was a pro at kissing up to Father's allies.

The aristocracy was so disgusting in its fakeness. No one was ever nice to Yuuri because they truly found him interesting. They only wanted to get in good with his father and brother – if they acknowledged Yuuri at all. Yuuri was merely a shadow to his brother's brilliance when the two of them were in the same room. It was as if he didn't even exist. Yuuri tried not to sneer when he overheard his brother's low, deep voice say something and a noblewoman laugh obnoxiously at his brother's apparent joke. Whether or not it was actually witty or funny was beside the point – if you wanted to get in good with the royal family, you laughed at their stupid jokes.

It was a mixture of jealousy and loneliness that Yuuri felt whenever he thought of his brother. Shouri was the perfect prince, the perfect warrior, and the perfect heir. He was everything the kingdom could hope for; he was the face of the Shibuya legacy, the pride of their father and the country. Shouri was an expert in all things royal – politics, socializing, manners and the arts. Shouri was an excellent pianist and was often the highlight of an evening's gala when he wowed their guests with his god-blessed skills at the pianoforte. Shouri was smart, clever, brave and outgoing. Always a favorite with the nobility and their parents.

Yuuri was just….Yuuri. Really, he couldn't think of anything to make himself standout from his brother that Shouri hadn't already done before. That was the curse of being a second born – rarely anything he did was new. If Yuuri took up swordsmanship, or politics, he would be forced to hear about every piddly little thing his brother had done before and better. The only thing Yuuri had to his name was baseball, a popular sport of the peasant folk that Yuuri had taken to when he was young to subconsciously fill the void left by his inability to be with the ocean. It was the only thing he was better at than Shouri, but that was because it was severely unbefitting of a crown prince to play a commoner's game – but it was acceptable for the second born son.

"Seriously, my prince. You are enjoying yourself waaay too much. You need to calm yourself!"

Yuuri grinned despite himself before turning around to see his only friend, the Sage's son, Murata, who was destined to aid Shouri when he ascended the throne. But for now, he was Yuuri's most trusted friend.

"Oh you know me," Yuuri played along, but couldn't help the knowing chuckle that accentuated his words. "Just too much for drinking and socializing and all that junk."

Murata allowed himself a chuckle as well and joined Yuuri in gazing out into the horizon.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" he said absently, Yuuri nodded in agreement. The sun was peeking over the water's edge, casting the sky in hues of purple and red and tinting the water a deep violet color. Yuuri wondered what was beneath the surface. Fish, seaweed, sharks, among other things. Maybe even mermaids. He didn't know, he only felt a strange tug that was growing inside his gut that pulled him towards the lolling waves.

"What's on your mind?" Murata asked after an easy silence. Murata's black eyes never strayed from Yuuri's profile, who in turn never strayed from the horizon. His gaze was even and calm, scrutinizing Yuuri like someone who knew the prince better then he did of himself.

"Nothing," Yuuri replied dismissively after a time. The soft scoff to his side told him that Murata didn't believe it for a moment. The truth was that Yuuri really didn't know, he just couldn't stop looking at the sea.

"You stare as if entranced by a spell," Murata continued. Then he smiled wryly. "Mayhap, a mermaid's spell?"

"What are you talking about?" Yuuri said looking up at his friend.

"Well, you're staring at the sea like you're hypnotized by a mermaid's song," Murata explained as he leaned over the railing to look more intently at the disappearing sun.

"You've been reading too many fairytales," Yuuri said, but the thought remained. He tried to imagine what a mermaid song would sound like – would it be like the wailing, lilting moans of the whales or more of the high-pitched squeaks of the dolphins?

"No," Murata's voice cut into his thoughts. "Just sailor's accounts."

"Oh and they are such reliable sources of information," Yuuri rolled his eyes again. The sailors were unbelievably superstitious and masters of exaggeration.

"You used to love mermaids," Murata said.

"When I was young."

"You were convinced they were weren't the monsters we make them out to be."

"I was proven wrong many times."

"What about that time you told me you met a mermaid?"

"Merboy," Yuuri corrected him. "And I nearly got killed. I never saw him again. I don't even remember his name."

"But it meant so much to you, despite that," Murata said. "You always talked about it when we played together as children. You really thought you spoke to him. It was almost like a childhood crush." Murata smiled. "It was kind of cute."

Yuuri sniffed, he hated being called cute and yet that was the word people used to describe him even now at the age of sixteen years thanks to his mother.

"It was a long time ago," he said, a tinge of wistfulness seeping into his tone. "I miss it."

"Yeah," Murata sighed, looking out on to the ocean. The sun was now behind the sea, the sky was now a dark blue fading upward into the dark sky. The first stars were twinkling and soon the moon would rise behind them. It was beautiful.

"I wonder what his name was," Yuuri said after a moment. "What I named my little merboy friend."

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

It had been eight years since Wolfram had first encountered a real human, eight years since he came face to face with the great enemy of his people, and eight years since his childhood fascination became an inherited hatred from his clan.

Wolfram had learned that the humans were not the fascinating creatures he had thought them to be. He learned, through repetition of old opinions and from his own experiences that the humans were the bane of his people's existence. They were in a constant war with the land-dwellers over resources, food and control of the seas, which Wolfram believed rightfully belonged to his people.

The humans also hunted their kind for their scales. They would capture them and sell them to things called "traveling shows", two years ago, Wolfram had lost a friend of his to these poachers, he had watched in helplessness as they netted the poor mermaid and hoisted her onto their ship where they beat her and then threw her below deck. Wolfram never saw her again, and the clan considered her dead the moment the net descended on her.

So Wolfram was more than happy to join the ranks of his clan's scouts, hunting for vulnerable ships for them to attack and give his people their food for the night. Human flesh was a delicacy among his clan and they celebrated vindictively when they consumed the flesh of their longtime enemies in honor of their fallen comrades.

'Wolfram,'

He heard the voice of his leader echo in his mind. He turned towards Gwendel, their alpha male and his half-brother, who gestured for him to join the group as they embarked on their mission. There was a royal ship sailing about the large bay, dangerously close to their territory and full of human for them to eat.

'Here I come, Brother,' Wolfram replied and swam to fall in line behind his brother and the others as they swam to their destination.

'Don't forget the plan," Gwendal warned him as they swam.

Wolfram nodded. He had been given the job of lure in their mission with a few others. He had to distract the humans with his song from the others as they took their positions underneath the belly of the ship. It was an important position that would determine the success of their endeavor. If he messed up, it could cost lives.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yuuri and Murata had been called away from standing at the rail to dance with some daughters of the nobles. Yuuri hated dancing. He hated having to lead a girl through a dance and somehow manage to talk to her. It was a terribly awkward, and for her, painful affair. As long as he didn't have to talk, Yuuri could concentrate enough to not step on his partner's foot, but Gods forbid she try to talk to him, the second he opened his mouth, his foot would land squarely on a slippered toe and she would squeal in pain while he tried to apologize and vainly save face. He was without jealousy when they left him for his brother the expert dancer, and left him be.

He had finished with his sixth partner for the night and practically threw her at Shouri and immediately bee-lined for the stern of the ship where he could get some peace.

Wine glass in hand, he made his way to the back of the ship where it was only him and the stars – no stuffy nobles and their daughters.

He leaned against the rail and looked out into the night. The sky and the ocean were the same inky black, the tiny stars reflected in the water interrupted only by the waves and ripples of the ship.

Yuuri stole a glance at a clock mounted on a nearby wall. He was counting the hours until it was acceptable for him to go into the royal cabin of the ship and turn in for the night. The ship would make an entire circle of the bay before delivering the guests back to the palace where the party would continue well into the early hours of the morning.

Yuuri tugged at his itchy collar and took a sip of his drink. He wasn't allowed to drink wine, despite being of age, thanks to an incident at his coming of age ceremony that involved a bottle of wine, a goat and Murata's then girlfriend which led to him only being allowed to drink the non-alcoholic punch. Yuuri couldn't remember that night, only that a civil war was narrowly avoided – thanks, once again, to his perfect older brother.

Yuuri supposed he should be more social. As a matter of fact, his father was using this occasion to find his youngest son a wife among the nobility. Unfortunately, Yuuri had no interest in girls. He didn't know why. He had no problem being friends with a girl, but the idea of marrying one and fathering children scared him. He didn't want to settle down, not yet anyway, he wanted someone different, someone special he could spend his life with and he wasn't going to find it while he was only sixteen, and certainly not among the noble families.

Green eyes and blonde hair snuck into Yuuri's mind. It had been so many years since he had encountered that little merboy. He wondered what he was doing right now or if he even existed. Yuuri had pushed the memory far out of his mind as he was grown now and knew the truth of the merpeople.

They were considered pests and a danger to all who traveled the sea. They hunted lone ships and small fishing vessels, stealing fish from the nets and sometimes, they would hunt the humans as well. Yuuri heard many a horror tale of men who were lured and then eaten by the merpeople. Yuuri heard that the merpeople above the surface of the water appeared ethereally beautiful, but when they dragged their victims underneath the water, they turned into scaly, horrendous beings with needles for teeth and wide mouths that unhinged to swallow their prey. Their only use was for the nomads in the market who sold their scales and the different medicines made from them. Yuuri had heard rumors that merpeople were captured and featured in seedy sideshows. He had never seen such a show and had no intention of doing so. He found the nomads and their antics to be shady at best.

Strangely, Yuuri felt he was the only one who felt no hatred for these creatures. Yes, they shouldn't attack their ships, but Yuuri was tempted to point out that they only attacked ships that strayed too close to their territory. However, his father and brother wouldn't hear of it. The Merpeople had to be stopped.

Finishing off his glass, Yuuri carelessly set the cup down and continued to stare absently out into the dark night.

Yuuri's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a strange pull towards the black sea. Not knowing why, He looked down into the waters in confusion. He felt like something was down there beneath the waves. Yuuri stared into the inky blackness waiting, for what he didn't know, but it was a deep and consuming feeling that wracked him to his core.

'What's going on?' he thought as he leaned even further over the rail, nearly loosing his balance in the process. He felt that he could see something floating just below the surface, a strange glitter, but there was no light to cause it. But he kept staring, and anticipating.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram floated just beyond the shallows. His skin prickled as the temperature dropped around him. He was completely still, except for the currents pushing him gently to and fro as he waited for the right moment. His body was tense with anticipation as he waited.

The sleek royal ship groaned as it meandered across the ocean's surface, casting its shadow over the young merman. Wolfram watched the little barnacles pass over him, looking for the hull's weak spot.

A movement out of the corner of his eye, Gwendal gave him the signal. Wolfram nodded and circled around the very back of the ship to take his position, careful to stay under the great hulk less his scales catch the light of a lamp and give away their position. He veered out of the way of the great rudders that guided the ship through the water and waited, slowly swimming along to keep pace with the ship.

Wolfram was suddenly struck by a consuming feeling. It hit him so suddenly that he froze in the water, completely forgetting his mission. It was like a sudden realization had taken him, a great instinctual pull towards the surface.

Something was above him, on the ship just above the surface leaning over the bow. In the reddish light of the lamps reflecting through the water, he could make out the silhouette of a person locking gazes within him through the water. How he knew they were eye to eye, he didn't know but that pull grew stronger when they looked into each other's eyes and Wolfram inexplicably floated dazedly towards the surface. It wasn't until he broke the water's surface, drips of water dangling from his blonde hair that he realized where he was.

He could see the person clearly now and the pull was all consuming. It was a young human male with black hair and eyes staring down at him, mouth slightly agape in awe. The young man gasped when he noticed Wolfram, his hands gripping the railing as he leaned over at a precarious angle to get a closer look at the merman.

Wolfram lifted his head just a little more out of the water, clear of the waves lapping at his shoulders. His brows furrowed as he stared unblinking into those dark eyes. The pull was so strong when he looked into those dark eyes, it seeped into his psyche and teased at a long forgotten memory that was only a blank slate before his eyes.

Yuuri stared down at the beautiful merman – somehow he knew it was male despite its feminine features – with absolute awe. It was the most perfect thing he had ever laid eyes on. Suddenly, he was eight years old again and his childhood fascination and love of the sea and the merpeople was renewed for the single moment.

But it was deeper than that. It was more than just renewed curiosity. Yuuri could have sworn that he knew this creature personally, maybe even knew its name. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember or understand why he felt drawn to this merman and not repulsion.

Wolfram was wondering the same thing as well. He should hate this human. This human was going to be his next meal. He shouldn't be feeling these things towards him when his life was about to end by Wolfram's hand.

But Wolfram didn't want to kill this human. He was…..different somehow. He couldn't place it, but he knew that he wanted the human to live.

Like a vase bursting into a million pieces against a cement floor, their moment was shattered when an attendant of the king sought out the second prince.

"You're Highness!" The young attendant called out as he stood before the prince who ad his back turned to him. "The King requests that you return to the ball at once."

But the Prince didn't respond. He didn't even appear to have heard the attendant.

"Your Highness?" The attendant inquired worriedly. He slowly walked up to peer at the prince and then looked over his shoulder into the black ocean.

It didn't take more than a moment for the seasoned attendant to know what the prince was looking at and react accordingly.

"My gods!" The attendant shrieked in horror. "A mermaid! Get back, Your Highness!"

Yuuri broke out of his stupor when the attendant roughly yanked him away from the railing as the man screamed, "Raise the alarm! There are merfolk in the water!" as he grabbed a large jug, pulled out the cork and poured the contents into the water.

Yuuri gasped in horror. "Wait! No!" but it was too late. The jug was filled with a mixture of cheap liquors laced with arsenic that acted as a deadly poison to merpeople and sea life in general, but it was particularly deadly to a mermaid.

The alarm had sounded, the music stopped cold and the guests looked around in a panic as if merpeople would fall from the night sky. A few women shrieked and clung to their partners, the ship's crew brought out more jugs of spiked liquor and shouted orders to ready the spears. Yuuri watched helplessly as the other people readied themselves to fight off an attack.

Yuuri turned around in vain to see if the blonde merman was still there, but all he saw was the black surface of the water. But the blonde merman was gone.

Yuuri turned back around to the erupting noise behind him. The music was silent and the guests were standing about looking towards the captain of the ship and the king in fear.

Sailors were holding large lamps over the rails of the ship to catch the light on a glittering tail and give away the mermens' position. Other sailors stood beside them spears at the ready. The spears were not for protection – that was the official story – they were for impaling a mermaid's tail and catching one to be sold for personal profit. Yuuri had seen it time and time again and though the aristocracy looked upon the poor who practiced this with disdain, it was an encouraged practice. As long as more of them were killed.

"There's more on the starboard side!" One soldier shouted and the others responded in kind. More toxic alcohol was poured over the edge and a couple of men threw spears into the water.

"There they are!" A sailor shouted. "Attack at will!"

The soldiers rained down spears after spear, the night echoed with the sounds of the weapons splashing into the water. Almost immediately, the water began churning and a large fish tail splashed out of the water and the injured creature let out a terrible shriek.

Yuuri rushed over to the side of the ship where the soldiers were positioned and nearly flung himself over the rails, trying to catch a glimpse of his blonde merman. The thrashing merman was caught in a tug of war with three soldiers who were pulling to the rope attached to the spear and hauling the creature closer to the ship.

The creature's comrades must have come to his aid, for it suddenly gained the upper hand and several more glittering tails could be seen just under the water's surface. A young soldier closest to the rail, hands gripping for dear life and the prospect of a hefty payday, was pulled overboard. It was only the efforts to the other men that kept the merman from escaping.

The sound of the poor soldier's screams cut through the commotion. Women began to scream some more as those closest could no doubt hear the sounds of bones being broken by powerful jaws. No one bothered to help the poor man, once he had fallen into the water he was as good as dead. He was no match for a school of murderous merfolk.

The soldiers finally heaved the merman onto the deck with a wet thud followed by the grating squeals of the female guests. The soldiers proceeded to tie the creature's arms in metal chains, jeering and kicking at the flailing creature, cursing it for killing their friend.

For a brief moment, Yuuri shared in the disgust of the others. The creature was covered head to toe in silvery scales, obviously unable to transform itself into its more human form. Unnaturally wide jaws snapped at anything that strayed too close – like a soldier's angrily shaking fist as an impaled tail whipped back and forth wildly against the deck.

Yuuri then felt pity for the creature. The soldiers didn't let up on harassing the creature. One soldier twisted the shaft of the spear and the merman cried out in pain. The guests shouted their approval and encouragement.

"Just kill it!" one lady shouted, face twisted in revulsion at the creature.

"Just kill the damned monster!" shouted her husband.

Another sailor appeared with a sword. Yuuri watched as he stepped closer to the creature, ready to stab it through the heart.

This had gone too far. Yuuri couldn't let them treat the creature this way.

"Stop right now!"

The soldiers and spectators all went quiet and stared at the second prince like he had suddenly grown another head.

The sailor with the sword looked at him in confusion. "I'm… sorry, your Highness?"

Yuuri stomped over to the man and snatched the weapon from his limp grip.

"This is unnecessary!" Yuuri scolded him. "You already polluted the water! They're not coming back! So just let this one go! He's helpless!"

"Helpless!" A nameless nobleman scoffed. Yuuri glared at him. If he were Shouri, no one would have dared question him. "It's a merman, with all due respect, your Highness! It attacked us first!"

"It deserves to die!" another voice from the crowd cried out, the voice was soon joined by murmurs of agreement.

Yuuri was too disgusted for words. He placed himself protectively between the merman and the crowd. He wasn't going to let them hurt the creature. Self-defense was one thing, but this was nothing but blind hatred.

"What's going on here?"

The crowd immediately calmed when Shouri joined his brother's side. He spared a disdainful glance at the still writhing merman before returning his attention to the people.

"This is one of the merfolk who attacked us, your Highness," said the sailor who had really wanted to stab the thing.

"Why is it still alive?" Shouri asked, not bothering to hide his disgust.

"I stopped them," Yuuri said as bravely as he could. However, he knew the minute Shouri appeared that his pleas would go unheard. "They were being cruel to it. I want it to be set free. It's not going to hurt anyone anymore!"

"Oh, Yuuri," Shouri sighed as if he were talking to a particularly daft child. "If we set him free, he will go on to hunt more innocent people. He might even alert his clan and they will attack more ships. If we show them mercy, they will overrun us."

"Please, Shouri!" Yuuri pleaded. "Just this once!"

"No, Yuuri," Shouri said. "You know our laws. Give me the sword."

Yuuri hesitated. His hand was still gripping the sword he had taken from the sailor. The sailor in question looked at him expectantly, ready to carry out his duty, but Yuuri didn't acquiesce.

"Yuuri," Shouri's tone was hard and stern. "I order you to give me the sword, Second Prince."

A direct order from the Crown Prince. Very slowly, Yuuri handed over the sword to his brother, who quickly gave it to the sailor, sealing the merman's fate. Yuuri hung is head in sadness and simmering anger as Shouri led him away from the scene.

"You need to stop being so sentimental, Yuuri," Shouri said. "Those creatures aren't worth the energy."

Yuuri said nothing and tried not to flinch when the sound of a blade being shoved through flesh echoed behind him followed by a pained scream and approving cheers.

As he was led to his cabin, Yuuri overheard his father talking angrily with the captain.

"Why would they attack us! We had an agreement!" The king hissed at the captain.

The captain helplessly shrugged. "I don't know, Your Majesty. We might've strayed too close to their territory and such as that, we were fair game to them."

"I swear, some day they will be exterminated!" The King sneered.

Yuuri didn't pay attention to what happened next. He only heard the incoherent voice of his Father, followed by Shouri, calming the finicky guests. He stared into the black water, now calm, as the music tentatively restarted and the party continued, as if nothing had happened, though with less gusto as before. It was as if they didn't just kill a merman in cold blood right on the deck.

He prayed that his blonde merman was okay.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram swam clumsily through the water, one hand stretched out before him to feel his way back home. The poison those damned humans poured into the water had partially blinded him. That random human that had sought out his dark haired human had caught him off guard, so entranced was he by the dark young man that stared down at him.

In his panic to get away from the poison, he swam right into a cloud of it and stupidly swallowed the tainted water. He ran into the others in his party, namely Gwendal, who were scrambling out of the way of the ship to avoid the poison. But the reaction of the humans was quicker than usual and the water was filled with the black poison clouds of what the humans called alcohol.

It wasn't long before they started throwing spears at them, lighting their deadly paths with the large lamps that the humans always carried on their ships.

The merman closest to Wolfram was speared through his tail. Wolfram watched as the other merman tried to pull the weapon out, but it was in too deep. They all watched helplessly as he was hoisted up to the surface and brought among the humans.

Wolfram had tried to free the other merman. He bit and tore at the coarse rope to break him free But the humans were pulling the rope fast and Wolfram w as unable to get him free before he was yanked out of the water and out of their reach.

It was too late for him. Wolfram felt terribly guilty as he swam away with the others to safety. He felt the affects of the poison coursing through his body with every pump of his tail and he knew that the others had been affected as well. He cursed his stupidity and hoped that they would make it back to the cove before it was too late.

When they reached the cove where their colony waited expectantly, Gwendal turned immediately on Wolfram and gave him the thrashing of his life. He had no mercy for Wolfram in his weakened state, the poison was working its curse on Wolfram's body and a beating from his half-brother didn't help.

"You useless fool!" Gwendal shouted, emphasizing each word with a hard punch to the face. "We lost one of our own! What in the gods' names were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry, Brother," Wolfram gasped out between hits.

"The elders will be furious!" Gwendal continued, voice laced with anger and fear for his younger brother.

"Why weren't you at your post?" One of the other mermen demanded.

Wolfram was silent. He really had no way of explaining to his comrades. And if he could, what would he say to them?

Wolfram struggled for a minute to come up with something to say, but Gwendal interrupted them.

"It doesn't matter now," He said with grim finality. "We have to get back to the colony and get away from the poison."

They didn't say a word, only fell into place as they swam back to the safety of their cove.

Wolfram floundered behind. The poison was affecting him. But, he said nothing for he dared not complain after it was he who put their group in danger. All because he couldn't look away from those black eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

It would be several weeks before the young prince and the merman found each other again. Their chance meeting was fleeting and abruptly ended by unlucky circumstances, but it remained a vivid memory to both.

After the incident aboard the Maou, Yuuri's father had issued a hasty apology to their disgruntled guests and the festivities continued for days after. Yuuri was able to sneak out of his royal obligations, stating that the whole ordeal had left him too traumatized to be of any use to his father. He was let go, but not without a snarky comment from his older brother about his "woman-like countenance". Yuuri ignored this, instead breaking an eight years' old rule that had separated him from the place he had loved as a child – the beach.

While the festivities melded into the daily ins and outs of royal life, Yuuri would sneak down from the castle to the shore. He would mostly go alone, occasionally, Murata would join him, amused that his friend was "rebelling admirably" and going down to the shore.

When Yuuri made it to the water's edge. He would simply stand in a trance, staring out into the water. He would stand there until the high tide lapped at his toes and he would simply step back and continue to watch the hypnotic ebb and flow of the ocean.

Not a day had gone by when he didn't think of the blonde merman. Not a day went by when he scraped and clawed at his mind to find the reason why he was so enthralled by the creature. He had spent his adolescence teaching himself to not care about the endless back and forth conflict between his people and the merpeople. He tried not to think about the nameless merman that had been hauled onto the deck tormented and killed by a jeering crowd. He tried not to think about the cruelties both sides committed against each other. He wanted to not think of any of it. He only wanted to think of the blonde merman.

Yuuri's daily visits to the beach continued for several days. Overtime, his thoughts of the blonde merman were joined by memories from his childhood. He had forgotten how much he had loved the ocean, loved playing in it, talking to it, trying to figure out the multitude of mysteries those inviting waves held from his curious mind. Yuuri felt a sense of rejuvenation when he sank his feet into the soft sand and he wondered why he had never thought to break his parents' rules until now.

He knew the reason now. It was to find the blonde merman who had caught his eyes on the ship many nights ago.

The sand felt good beneath his bare feet. He fondly remembered how he would spend hours playing in the sand as a young child, building sand castles, burying his feet and pretending his toes were "crab fingers" wriggling out of the sand to catch their prey.

Yuuri continued walking along the shore, not caring that it was overcast and chilly that day. He was just grateful to be out of the palace. Shouri had become insufferable, more so than usual, and had taken it upon himself to educate his younger brother about the evils of the merpeople. No matter who taught him or how many lessons he attended, Yuuri still couldn't bring himself to share in his people's hatred of the merpeople – not after what happened.

"Yuuri!"

Speak o f the devil…..

Yuuri trained his grimace into a blank mask as he turned to watch his brother jog towards him with an indignant look on his face.

"Yeah, Shouri?" Yuuri said dryly.

"It's 'yes' not 'yeah,'" Shouri said. "You spend too much time with the servants."

Yuuri just rolled his eyes as looked back out to the ocean. The servants actually treated him with respect.

"Besides," Shouri continued. "I came down here to see what you were up to. You know you're forbidden to come down to the beach! What will Mother say?"

Shouri put his hands on his hips and looked down at his younger brother in that haughty know-it-all way that Yuuri hated. He looked way too much like their father and Yuuri didn't appreciate Shouri acting like he was indeed Yuuri's third parent.

Yuuri looked back at him with equal stubbornness.

"I'm taking a walk," Yuuri said simply. "Thinking about stuff…I got tired of being cooped up in the palace."

"You know you're not supposed to be here..." Shouri scolded.

"Why not?" Yuuri asked irritably. "I'm not a little kid anymore, Shouri! I can take care of myself on a beach for crying out loud! I know how to swim!"

"It's not the swimming that's the issue," Shouri said, peering down his nose at Yuuri. "It's what lurks beyond the beach that is dangerous. Especially to you. Did you forget how you were almost killed by those fishpeople?"

"Merpeople," Yuuri corrected. "Fishpeople" was the condescending term used by many people to refer to the merpeople. It was meant to insult and make them appear to be less intelligent and cunning than they actually were.

Shouri huffed. "Whatever, Yuuri. Only you would sympathize with something so deplorable. You'll never have a career in the military if you treat them as anything more than animals."

"They're not deplorable," Yuuri said, an image of the blonde merman flashing across his vision. "And they're not animals. They wouldn't have attacked the ship if we hadn't sailed into their territory."

"They're encroaching in our sea routes! If they stayed in their bay like the agreement said they would we wouldn't have – where are you going?"

Yuuri really didn't want a rehashing of the same "why merpeople are encroaching our waters" speech. He'd heard it before and he didn't care to hear it again. It was the same boring droll that he had been forced to listen to since he was too young to even understand what it meant.

Yuuri didn't know why he was so abnormal. By all rights, he should have shared in his family's opinion, but he simply didn't. He couldn't help but feel like if they tried to communicate with the merpeople and respect the boundaries of their territory instead of gradually shoving them into smaller and smaller areas, they wouldn't have so many conflicts with them. Unfortunately, Yuuri was in the minority on that debate.

"I'm waking down the beach, what does it look like?" He said over his shoulder as he walked towards the black rocks and tidal pools he remembered playing in as a child. He wanted to see how they had fared in the years since he had seen them.

"I just said you weren't allowed here!" Shouri protested, marching after Yuuri indignantly.

"You can't order me around!" Yuuri spat back. He was mere feet from the rock outcrop.

"Yes, I can! I'm your older brother and crown prince!"

It was here that Yuuri hesitated. He slowly turned around to face Shouri with barely hidden annoyance. If there was one thing he couldn't stand….

"I can order you to return to the palace!"

… it was Shouri pulling rank on him.

Usually, Yuuri would huff and pout then petulantly follow his brother wherever he wanted him to go. But today was different. Yuuri didn't know where his sudden rebelliousness came from, but he wouldn't obey Shouri's orders.

"No!" He crossed his arms and turned his back on his brother to glare at the piles of rocks before him. It wasn't the most mature response, but Yuuri didn't really care.

"Yuuri!" Shouri exclaimed, genuinely surprised at his brother's antics.

"Tell on me if you want, but I'm not go-" Yuuri stopped mid-rant and his anger was suddenly drained from him when something in one of the tidal pools caught his eye.

Shouri's angry protests faded into the background as Yuuri climbed over the rocks to get a closer look. He blinked in the ocean spray as he crawled to the little pool.

There was someone in the water.

"Yuuri, come back!" Shouri shouted as he began to climb after his stubborn little brother.

"Stay there!" Yuuri shouted back. He didn't bother to see if Shouri actually listened. The pool came into full view and fully revealed the person drifting beneath the surface.

At first, Yuuri thought it was a dead body lying face down in the water, washed ashore from a shipwreck – they certainly had enough of those. But as he drew to the pool's edge, he gasped when he saw that the body had a tail and dull grey scales.

Usually, dead things made Yuuri nauseas, yet another reason why he shouldn't join the military. He hated the thought of death and decay and the uncertainty of one's demise, so he avoided it as much as he could. However, instead of recoiling back in revulsion, he reached out towards the deathly still creature. He felt drawn to it somehow, like it was familiar, but he couldn't grasp as to why. It was like that night on the ship…

His fingers brushed against a white shoulder. He felt his heart beat speed up.

"Yuuri! What are you doing down there?"

So Shouri had listened and stayed behind. Yuuri ignored him as he carefully gripped the creature's shoulder to turn it over. He hesitated only a second in fear. What would he see when he looked upon his enemy's face? He slowly turned the creature over, revealing its heart shaped face.

Yuuri was shocked into silence.

His memory of that fateful night on the ship came to him at once and he recognized the blonde merman before him. His body was a sickly grey color and his face was wan and drawn, but it was him just the same!

Yuuri examined the merman's condition. He was curled against the rocks, only his head was out of the water. His dull blonde hair hung in wet tendrils around his face. His mouth was open slightly, two rows of viciously sharp teeth peeked out between pale lips.

He was the most beautiful thing Yuuri had ever seen.

Really, despite the merman's sickly appearance, he reminded Yuuri of the paintings of angelic choirs that decorated the royal temple of the Great One. They were androgynous beings with wavy air of every color, full lips and youthful features. Just like this merman.

The merman gave no response to Yuuri's touch and the young prince deeply worried that he was really dead. He was filled with an unexplainable sense of personal grief for the creature that had nothing to do with pity for a sick animal. He was truly disturbed.

Something in Yuuri's mind told him to look a little closer. He crouched down to the unconscious merman and gently patted a scaly cheek. The merman's skin was cold and Yuuri didn't know if merpeople had a pulse or a core body temperature. He likened them to common fish – cold-blooded and no pulse.

Yuuri continued to firmly pat the creature on the cheek, clearly displaying the limits of his medical expertise. He had no idea as to what to do for the merman, but he was determined to bring the creature back to life.

Yuuri nearly dropped the merman's head when two large eyes slid open to stare right at him. Yuuri looked directly into the greenest pair of eyes he had ever seen. They were perfect and seemed to glow in contrast to the merman's pale complexion.

It was the night on the ship all over again.

"Hello," Yuuri whispered, gently cupping the creature's cheek. "Are you alright?"

The merman said nothing. It continued to stare blankly at Yuuri before fatigue overtook it and its eyes slid closed again. Yuuri gave a small cry in alarm and tried to pat the creature back awake, but it was of no use.

"Yuuri, for the love of the Gods, will you just get – What the hell is that!"

Yuuri turned around to watch Shouri lumber over the rocks and look down at him from his perch. His face twisted into a combination of shock, fascination, and disgust when he looked down at the merman in Yuuri's arms.

"What are you doing? Put that thing down, it's dead!" Shouri hissed.

"No. It's not!" Yuuri said. He refused to believe the creature was dead. Near death maybe, but there was still hope for it, he was positive.

"You'll get a disease if you don't stop touching it!" Shouri countered. "Really, Yuuri!"

Yuuri effectively tuned out his brother and tightened his grip on the merman and began to lift him out of the water.

Shouri was indignant. "What do you think you're doing? You not trying to help it, are you? It's already dead!"

"No, Shouri, it's not! I think he's sick, " Yuuri said with a grunt as he tried to haul the merman out of the pool. It was heavier than it looked. "Help me out, would you?"

"You're insane!" Shouri exclaimed. "And no, I'm not helping you with that creature! If it's not dead yet, it will be soon! You're wasting your time. This isn't some pet you found in the alley. It's a damned merman! A pest! And what makes you think Mother and Father will let you bring it into the palace?"

Yuuri had managed to lift the merman completely out of the pool and drag him as gently as possible over some of the rocks. The creature was in pain and needed help fast. He wouldn't be able to lift him all the way out of Shouri didn't stop griping and helped him.

Shouri was still ranting on when Yuuri looked up at him in annoyance.

"Shouri, come and help me." He said through clenched teeth.

Shouri paused mid-rant and scoffed at him. "I'm not helping you one bit! You're nothing but trouble!"

Yuuri glared at him…. "You will help me…"

Shouri glared back. "No, I won't…"

Yuuri growled under his breath. The creature in his arms was at death's door and Shouri was just whining! How could he be so callous? He looked back up at his brother.

"If you won't help me," Yuuri said slowly and deliberately. "I will tell Mom and Dad what you did with that stable boy a month ago…"

Yuuri tried not to smile when Shouri's face went white. It was the one dark secret that Yuuri knew of his brother and he had been saving it for a special occasion such as now.

"You wouldn't dare…" his brother whispered in shock.

Yuuri hated resorting to blackmail, but this was serious. "I will…if you don't stop complaining and help me get him out of the rocks and back to the palace."

Shouri stayed upon his spot on the rocks. Yuuri watched the inner war going on inside Shouri's mind by his changing expressions. The Crown Prince was torn between leaving the creature to die or saving his reputation by helping his younger brother save one of their enemies.

Shouri hunched over in defeat. Yuuri tried not to smile. There were few things more important to Shouri than his reputation. His dark secret being revealed far outweighed the repercussions of helping his insane little brother rescue a mermaid.

Neither uttered a single word as Shouri, none too gently, grabbed the merman by his shoulders while Yuuri maneuvered around to lift his tail. Both were surprised at how heavy the creature was as they dragged him over the rocks and onto the beach.

"We could be caught!" Shouri hissed as they carried the merman across the beach.

Yuuri looked out into the ocean. The sun was setting fairly quickly. By the time they would get to the palace walls, the sun would have set, giving them the cover of darkness. But there was the risk of running into any servants or guards…

"The old servants' entrance by the West gate," Yuuri said after the idea popped into his head. "That's how I've snuck down here the past few weeks."

Shouri said nothing but shook his head in defeat.

The two princes ambled on. The half-mile trek to the palace seeming much longer than usual thanks to their heavy load. Occasionally, the merman would stir and give only the quietest of sounds before falling back into a stupor. Yuuri and Shouri would pause in anticipation whenever it moved. They were well aware of how hostile the merpeople could get, particularly when restrained.

They made steady progress. Not once did Yuuri question his actions. He knew this was the right thing. This creature was different and he was determined to save its life. No matter what.

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Chapter two of Syrena!

Wolfram and Yuuri finally meet! What will happen to the two now? What is Shouri's secret? A secret that will affect Yuuri and Wolfram's relationship later on!

What do you all think so far? I used the theme of the Little Mermaid, but I didn't want to simply retell the story. That would have been boring (for me).

Next time…Yuuri nurses Wolfram back to health and the two begin a tentative friendship underscored by their strange mutual attraction to each other and they learn that their differences aren't all that bad.

Note:

Updates to my stories will be slow. I'm going through a difficult time right now, my uncle recently passed away and his death has been hard on the family. I'm still working on THYS, expect an update sometime next month. But please bear with me as me and my family go through this difficult time. Thank you so much for your encouragement and support!

Please leave a review! They do mean a lot to me!

See you next time!

EB


	3. Chapter 3

Hello, everyone!

Thank you so much for your reviews. Your support is always a blessing and I hope to continue to write great stories for you all to enjoy.

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Syrena Chapter Three – Reunited

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Yuuri and Shouri trekked up the steep hill that sloped down from the back gates of their palace home to the beach where they found their charge. They had found a solid footing and were steadily drawing near to the narrow door that would get them past any guards or nosy staff and safely to Yuuri's apartments.

"Are you sure no one will see us?" Shouri asked for the umpteenth time.

"I'm sure," Yuuri said shortly for the umpteenth time. "They've started using the door on the other side after the renovations. I've been using this way for ages. Just calm down, Shouri!"

Shouri groaned and rolled his eyes in annoyance. Yuuri ignored him and hastened their pace. He wasn't sure how long the merman could stay out of the water safely. If it was like fish, then they didn't have much time. Yuuri could feel the smooth scales along the merman's sides drying out and loosing their sheen. They needed to hurry.

Ignoring the growing ache in his arms, Yuuri pushed them forward. A swift kick to a rotting wooden door got them into the palace unnoticed. Now the real challenge was getting to his rooms on the third floor without running into any servants milling about.

Luck must have been on their side for they didn't run into anyone as they reached the third floor. They were sweaty and loudly panting, but their noises went unnoticed and they were safely at Yuuri's door.

Yuuri thanked the gods that he had neglected to lock his door as he pushed it open with his hip and they carried the merman into the receiving room. Yuuri navigated them around the chairs and couches and the myriad of books and knickknacks that littered his floor. Yuuri was never the orderly type and many a time a careless servant or guest had stubbed their toes against a stack of novels, but Yuuri had grown accustomed to the chaos and he expertly weaved them around the piles of god only knew what.

They went through the door that led to Yuuri's giant bedroom and then turned towards the private baths. Once again, Yuuri sent out a prayer that the maids hadn't drained the pool-sized tub from that morning. He shoved aside the wooden door and peered over his shoulder at the bathing pool.

The gods were on his side today! Yuuri could hardly believe his luck. Usually the maids had drained the pool by now and wouldn't refill it until the early morning hours. Yet, the murky water was still present – cold, but present, and that was all he needed.

"Help me lower him into the bath," Yuuri grunted.

"I still think you're mad," Shouri grumbled, but moved to help his brother.

Yuuri maneuvered himself until he was holding the merman's shoulders on his right arm and his lower back on his left. With Shouri holding the long tail, the merman wasn't that heavy and Yuuri was able to carefully lower himself into a kneeling position at the pool's edge, leaned over as he extended his straining arms and gently submerged the blonde creature into the water. Shouri followed suit and carefully lowered the tail behind the merman and they watched the creature slowly sink to the bottom of the pool.

The two princes sat in silence, waiting for the creature to stir. But the merman was completely still and hadn't reacted at all to being put in a familiar environment. The merman lay on its back, arms gently floating at its sides, but there was no movement at all.

"I honestly think it's dead, Yuuri," Shouri stated flatly, standing up to straighten his sore back and turned to leave. "All that work for nothing."

"He's not dead!" Yuuri snapped, but even he was having his doubts. He thought for sure the creature would have moved once submerged again, but it was as still and dead as it had been when he saw it.

Shouri was not impressed. "I told you to just leave him-"

"Shut up, Shouri!"

"- now what will you do?" Shouri continued.

"I-I," Yuuri stared at the merman helplessly. He couldn't be dead! He just couldn't! He was sick and Yuuri wanted – _needed_ to help him. "He needs rest…that's it...he was out of the water so long that he needs to adjust or something."

"Really?" Shouri looked at him in disbelief.

"Yeah," Yuuri said with an assured nod. He wouldn't give up on his merman. "Give it a while and he'll come back, you'll see!"

"How are you going to hide him from the maids? They come in every morning to change the water. They'll see him."

"Um…." Damn, he hadn't thought of that! "I'll tell them not to come."

"You bathe every morning. It will look suspicious." Shouri said, hands on his hips in that annoying way.

"I'll tell them that I just don't feel like taking a bath." Yuuri replied.

"You always take a bath…"

"I can have an unusual day once in a while!" Yuuri protested. Shouri's condescending attitude was really wearing him out. "And they're maids, don't they have to do what I say without question?"

"They know your habits and they might report it to Father," Shouri countered.

"Look, I'll think of something, okay?" Yuuri huffed. "Either way, he's staying until he gets better!"

"You don't even know what's making it sick!"

"I. Will. Figure. It. Out…" Yuuri said through gritted teeth.

Shouri gave an exaggerated sigh and sauntered his way back into Yuuri's bedroom. He didn't have the time or the patience for his brother's antics and he certainly wasn't going to share the blame.

The elder prince had made it to the door when Yuuri rushed out of the bedroom.

"Shouri!"

Shouri turned around and faced his brother with an impassive expression.

Yuuri looked unsure for a moment, but gathered his thoughts quickly.

"You won't tell anyone…?" It was spoken as half a question and half a command. Yuuri looked at his brother with a mixture of pleading and demanding, ready to beg, but also ready to counter any threat that he might pose to him.

Shouri was quiet for a moment. He really didn't think it was a good idea. Yuuri was playing with fire and he feared that even his brother's royal blood couldn't save him from the laws he just broke that day.

It was his brother's eyes that did him in. They were so full of compassion for this horrid creature that even he, who hated the merpeople, felt some pity for the creature. What was it about this thing that made Yuuri act so strangely?

After a moment's thought Shouri shrugged dismissively.

"Consider it as returning the favor," He said quietly. "You keep my secret, I keep yours."

Yuuri's entire being relaxed and he smiled in relief. "Thank you, Shouri!"

"Sure," Shouri muttered as he opened the door to leave. "But whatever the consequences of your actions, be prepared to deal with them when they come."

"I promise," Yuuri said and turned to attend his new charge.

All Shouri could do was sigh a prayer for mercy from the gods and leave.

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Wolfram didn't know where he was.

He had floated aimlessly through the ocean. The poison coursed through his body, setting his insides on fire, rendering him weak and helpless – and a burden to his colony.

There was nothing they could do. They only watched him in sympathy as he drifted between the kelp forest outside the under water caves they called their home. They started to avoid him. Staying near a sick and dying merman would cause attract danger.

Wolfram remembered seeing the great white sharks that loomed ever nearer to his prone body. He weakly tried to swim away from them, staying close to the ocean floor. Sharks only attacked from below. If he stayed close to the bottom, he had a chance.

But what chance did he have? If the sharks didn't get him now, then eventually the poison in his body would do the job for them. The fever brought on by the poison made him delirious and many times he would snap out of a reverie to find himself floating way too close to the surface where a shark could easily catch him. The sharks were stalking him now, they could smell his death and taste his vulnerability. He was an easy target and they were merely awaiting the right opportunity to strike.

Visions of his body being torn to pieces drove Wolfram to swim further and further away. In his delirious haste, he didn't pay attention to where he was swimming and he drifted into the shallows, the looming shadows of the human's ships passing over him in increasing frequency as he swam on.

Eventually, Wolfram's body gave out and he allowed the currents to carry him where they might. He was too weak and sick to even direct his movements, often scraping or catching his tail or fins on a sharp rock.

It wasn't long before Wolfram had drifted so close to the shore that he could reach down and touch the sand beneath him as he floated by. His hand brushing against the smooth pebbles and sand awoke him enough for him to finally take some control and feebly push himself towards an outcrop of rocks.

He didn't remember crawling into one of the small pools to rest and await his death. But he did remember a kind voice calling out to him in a strange language and a gentle hand lifting him out of the water. He remembered a second voice, a heated argument, sudden weightlessness as he was lifted from the pool….

He also remembered looking into the darkest set of eyes he had ever seen.

Then he was floating again, this time on air. He was being carried, to where, he didn't know and he didn't care. Maybe this was where the souls of the merpeople went when they died? Had the agents of the Sea God come and taken him away?

No…no, he wasn't. He was lowered into a different – colder – body of water. More agitated voices spoke above him as he sank to the bottom.

"I. Will. Figure. It. Out!" said one voice above him. It was the voice that had spoken to him so kindly earlier.

There was a series of muffled sounds and then silence. Wolfram felt a hand reach down and caress his cheek. He instinctively turned into the palm and nuzzled it, secretly happy for the comfort. The hand responded by running its fingers through his tangled hair and petting his head before withdrawing.

A tiny part of Wolfram missed the hand. In his poisoned daze he barely registered a presence looming above him and then disappearing, leaving him alone in the strange, saltless water.

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Yuuri left to go fetch Murata. If anyone would know how to care for a merman, then it would be Murata, son of the mystical Daikenja. Murata was being trained to follow in his father's footsteps and as such, had access and knowledge of many different forms of medicine and magic. Surely, he would know what to do.

"Murata!" Yuuri shouted as he knocked on the door to the Daikenja's apartments. "Murata!"

The door swung open, but there stood the Daikenja and not his friends. The Daikenja was a tall and imposing figure with narrow eyes that saw more than the average human. His straight black hair was pulled back in a low ponytail making the sharp angles of his face even more distinctive as he stared down at the youngest prince.

"Good day, your Highness," said the Daikenja in a low voice. "How may I be of service to you?"

"Um…." Yuuri began. The Daikenja was an intimidating figure and just a little bit creepy. "is Murata home?"

"He is," Daikenja replied slowly. "He is just finishing his afternoon lessons and-"

"Is that Yuuri?" came Murata's voice from behind the Daikenja and Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief.

"_Prince_ Yuuri," the Daikenja hissed at his son, who appeared behind his shoulder and swung the door fully open. "Remember your place!"

"Yuuri is fine, sir" Yuuri interjected. He hated titles.

The Daikenja said nothing, but gave a disapproving stare.

"I'm done with my lesson. Can I go with Yuuri, Dad?" Murata said, but he always already exiting the room to stand beside his friend.

"Very well," Daikenja said dryly. "It's not like I can tell you no, if the Prince came all this way to find you."

"Thank you, Dad!" Murata said. He and Yuuri quickly left and were already at the end of the hall by the time they heard the door slam shut.

"Thank you for coming!" Murata said as they walked back to Yuuri's apartments. "I was dying in there!"

"And you talk about me avoiding my lessons, " Yuuri mumbled.

Murata just shrugged.

"Murata," Yuuri began and his friend perked up at the sudden seriousness in his tone. "I need your help with something."

"Sure, Yuuri," Murata replied. "What is it?"

"Follow me quickly…and you can't tell anyone what you're about to see."

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"Are you sure its alive?"

"Yes, Murata! It's alive!" Yuuri said in exasperation. "He's just sick. I need you to tell me what to do."

Murata stared at the still creature. "It's not moving..."

"He's resting! See for yourself!"

Murata sighed and slipped a hand under the water. He poked at the creatures scaly shoulder and sure enough the merman responded weakly by shying away from his hand.

"You're right. But what do you want me to do?"

"Well…." Yuuri said. "I figured you know more since you study this sort of thing. I thought Daikenjas were supposed to know everything…"

"But I'm not a Daikenja," Murata reminded him. "At least, not yet…."

"But surely, you know something!" Yuuri pleaded. He had to save the merman!

Yuuri watched Murata stare at the creature in the pool. The Daikenja's heir flickered between staring at Yuuri and at the merman. He seemed to evaluate them both, either questioning Yuuri's sanity or devising some way to help his friend out of this bind. His stance was neither apprehensive or antagonistic like Shouri's had been. He seemed to show concern for the creature, lingering just a little bit longer on the prone form in the water. Murata was probably wondering what would drive Yuuri to do such a thing Yuuri had been sympathetic towards the merpeople, yes, but he never voiced his opinions openly. They were still the bane of the kingdom and it was the norm if not the law, for the merpeople to be hated.

Yuuri shifted uncomfortably under Murata's scrutinizing gaze. He bean to wonder if this was a good idea, but he knew that the only person he could trust to have knowledge of the merpeople would be Murata.

Murata suddenly smiled that mysterious Cheshire smile that never failed to creep Yuuri out. He had apparently come to a decision, having seen something between Yuuri and the merman that he prince didn't understand.

"I remember my dad having a book on merpeople, " Murata said as he turned away to go back to his apartments. "I'm sure we'll find something there."

Thirty minutes and a stack of twenty books on mermaids later, Murata was seated by the pool's edge next to Yuuri with a large illustrated book in his lap. Yuuri had a smaller book as well, but was currently distracted by their charge. The merman was still asleep and had drifted closer to the surface. Yuuri didn't look up from the book he was reading and reached down to run his fingers through blonde hair absently as he continued to read.

This gesture didn't go unnoticed by Murata and it piqued his interest all the more. Yuuri seemed to think nothing of petting his natural enemy and the creature appeared to be leaning into the touch. Murata had never seen anything like it before and he felt that the two meeting was not simply form an act of compassion brought by coincidence, but by fate itself.

"I think I found something," Yuuri said, taking hishand away from the creature to point to a section on the yellowed pages. Murata didn't miss the creature weakly following Yuuri's retreating hand, but said nothing.

"What?" Murata asked, not taking his gaze away from the merman.

"I think it says something about merpeople and their and how they need something to survive. That's all I can make out…it's in the Old Tongue," Yuuri admitted sheepishly.

"That's what you get for not paying attention during your lessons," Murata chided teasingly.

"Why would I learn the Old Tongue when I have you to translate for me?" Yuuri said. "I'm no good at learning languages. it's all gibberish to me."

"Oh, your Highness," Murata tsk'd, but it was in fun. He took the book from Yuuri's hands and scanned the page, quickly translating the ancient text in his mind with ease.

"It says that merpeople get their strength from consuming human flesh and blood," Murata explained after a moment. "There's a legend that says merpeople do not have blood in their veins, only seawater, so they crave human blood. It keeps them strong and alive."

"Oh…" Yuuri muttered, he looked down at his merman floating just under the surface of the water. The merman had grown even paler in the past few hours and Yuuri was beginning to really think he was dying. "So…do we give him blood?"

"Possibly," Murata said contemplatively. "Here's something else interesting…because their veins are filled with seawater, alcohol is poisonous to them because there's no way to expel it from their bodies."

"Huh…" Yuuri mumbled reaching out for the book to look at the accompanying drawing. Murata handed it to him and the prince looked at the crude sketch of a mermaid eating a human arm surrounded by bloody water. "Ew….But does it say anything about how to take care of them?"

"I don't think so…." Murata replied. "They're the aquatic enemy of our people. Why should scholars care how to heal them?"

"There has to be something…ow!" Yuuri had been impatiently turning the stiff pages as he vainly looked for any information on healing merpeople and the edge of the page cleanly sliced into his finger.

Yuuri squeezed the digit, grimacing as a bright red droplet of blood swelled up from the miniscule cut.

"Just my luck," The prince grumbled, shaking his finger, absently dislodging the little blood droplet before dipping it into the water to clean it.

"Hey, Yuuri…" Murata began but he stopped at what happened next.

The few drops of blood that escaped Yuuri's tiny wound floated through the water, just above the sleeping face of the merman. Both boys watched the droplets sink into the water, creating a thin ribbon in their wake. They watched it disappear into the parted lips of the merman and they both held their breath when the creature began to stir.

Slowly, its large eyes opened underneath the water, staring straight up at them – or really, up at Yuuri. They watched its pupils grow until its green eyes were completely black. A pale tongue poked from between the lips, lapping at the water, searching for any remnant of the life giving blood.

Slowly and with much effort, the merman pushed itself out of the water, eyes never leaving Yuuri's startled face. Its blond head broke the surface and it looked at the young prince with a dazed predatory stare. The creature sniffed the air and dropped its attention to Yuri's hand, the one that had the paper cut.

"Murata?..." Yuuri squeaked as he backed away from the advancing creature, who followed Yuuri.

Murata opened his mouth to tell Yuuri to slowly back away, but the creature was too fast for either one of them to react.

Before Yuuri could place a safe distance between himself and the merman, the merman lashed out two thins hands and grabbed Yuuri's wounded hand and dragged the prince's arm back under the water at an impossible speed.

Yuuri was only able to grasp the edge of the pool to keep from being dragged under as well. He yelped when sharp teeth bit into his inner wrist and sucked out his blood at an alarming rate.

Murata stared in shock at the scene. It was only Yuuri near-hysterical shout of his name that roused him to action. He scrambled to his friend's side and tried to pull Yuuri away from the pool. But the creature was stronger than a pair of teenaged boys and only pulled back harder. Murata had to let go of his friend lest he accidentally dislocate something, but he held on to keep Yuuri from being pulled under and drowned.

Yuuri whimpered, he was starting to get dizzy from rapid bloodloss, his grip loosened and the creature began to drag him into the water once more.

A thought flashed across Murata's mind, the older boy jumped up. "Hold on, Yuuri!"

Moving as fast as he could, Murata ran back into Yuuri's bedroom and went immediately for the prince's baseball gear lying in a corner. Grabbing the heavy wooden bat he ran back into the bathing room. He slid to his knees next to his friend and repeatedly clubbed the creature's head with the bat.

The merman immediately let go of Yuuri's wrist and recoiled back into the pool. Yuuri scrambled backwards until his back hit the wall, clutching his bleeding wrist to his chest as he stared pale-faced at the creature.

Murata stared into the water, at held aloft ready for a potential attack. Both of them watched the merman squirm in the water, rubbing its hands on the various bumps on its head before skulking to the far end of the immense pool and curling into a ball.

Neither of them moved for a long time the room was silent except for their heavy breathing echoing off the marble walls.

Yuuri looked down at his wrist with a pained whine. There was a perfect circle of teeth marks punctuated by two large puncture wounds from the merman's fangs. The skin around the fang wounds was partially torn away and the skin around the other marks was red and beginning to swell. The pain was near unbearable and felt like someone had set Yuuri's arm on fire.

The bat clanked to the floor as Murata knelt down to examine the bite

"We need to get that looked at..." Murata said, frowning in concern.

Yuuri jerked his hand away from his friend. "No! If we go to the doctor, they'll want to know how I got bit! Go get some bandages from Gisela and help me clean it."

"Are you sure?" Murata asked skeptically. "What if it gets infected?"

"It won't get infected…" Yuuri said adamantly, though he was cradling his rapidly swelling arm.

"I think it's already on its way..." Murata said flatly.

"We can't let them find out about him!" Yuuri exclaimed. "I can't go to the doctor!"

"Yuuri…"Murata sighed. Though the prince was right. The bite was clearly not from an animal. The royal doctors, especially Gisela, were the best in the land. There would be no hiding this from them.

"Hang on, I'll be right back." Murata said and he didn't miss the look of relief mixed with pain on the prince's face.

Murata rushed out of the prince's apartments to get the necessary supplies. All the while he thought about what had transpired. They shouldn't have thought that the creature was completely helpless, merpeople were the top predators in the ocean. They should have been more careful. But he didn't know what to make of the easy way that Yuuri petted the creature or how the creature leaned into his touch instinctively. It made Murata think that there was even more to this than he knew and he wanted to see what the compassionate Prince Yuuri would do with his new charge.

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Wolfram curled further into himself. His body and tail made a perfect spiral shoved in the corner of the pool. His head throbbed from where one of his captors had brutally struck him several times. He knew there would be a bump in a couple of hours.

His stomach growled. He could still taste the warm, sweet blood that had given him a much needed boost of strength and even now he could feel its healing properties course through his body, cleansing him of the toxic poison that had nearly killed him. If he hadn't taken the chance and seized the human's wrist, he would have certainly perished within hours. Now he had a chance at life.

They would kill him now for sure….Wolfram had already expected that they would, but now he was sure they would end him now that he had attacked one of their own. Wolfram didn't regret it though. He would either die by poison or die by a spear, at least with the latter he could die fighting with honor.

Would they peel his scales off? He had heard stories of humans poaching merpeople for their scales and he knew enough about human ways that they valued their scales. Would they be kind enough to let him die first before they drove their curved knives into his skin?

No, they wouldn't. They were humans. All they knew was cruelty.

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Yuuri kicked off his boots and collapsed onto his bed. Dinner with his family had been tense. He felt like they could stare right through him and see his lie when he told them that the bite on his wrist was from playing too rough with the hunting dogs.

His father had admonished him for messing with his prized dogs. They were hunting dogs, not pets, his father had said. His mother had overreacted as usual, wailing about her poor baby and demanding he see their head doctor. Shouri looked at him with suspicion immediately knowing where he got that bite from and giving him one of his I-told-you-so looks that made Yuuri want to smack him where he stood.

His mother then demanded the offending dog be put down for hurting her precious Yuuri. But thanks to his father's loud protest and dismissal of Yuuri's "minor wound" some random dog was spared from sacrificing itself to Yuuri's lie.

Yuuri refused to say anything more on the matter. Dinner passed unusually quietly. His mother was usually constantly talking and fussing away cheerily, but because her vengeance on the oblivious hunting dog had been thwarted, she sat in pouty silence and poked at her food. Shouri and his father had never been talkers to begin with and Yuuri wasn't in the mod to talk, he could only think about the merman in his bathtub. Thus, dinner passed in silence.

Speaking of which….Yuuri got up from his bed to go check on his "pet merman" as Murata had called the creature. Yuuri was glad that he didn't have to resort to bribery or threats to ensure his friend's secrecy. Not that he would be able to. Murata had a clean record and was very good at keeping his affairs private. So Yuuri was glad his friend promised him his silence and Yuuri knew he could trust him.

The closer he got to the pool the more his wound throbbed under its bandages. He would have to change them soon. But now, he wanted to see his merman and get a good look at him without the chaos of earlier.

Yuuri came into the bathing room and was surprised to find the merman sluggishly swimming around the pool. Did his blood make him better?

Yuuri just stood there watching the merman swim about. He was fascinated by the sinuous movements of the merman as he watched him propel himself through the water. The creature looked completely human from the waist up, except for the tiny scales on its shoulders and back that glinted in the waning light of the sun.

The merman must have sensed his presence because its leisurely swimming gradually slowed and came to a stop and a blond head slowly broke the surface of the water.

Once again, Yuuri was struck under the piercing gaze of the creature's emerald green eyes. They were no longer glassy and dull as they had been when he had first seen them up close. Now they had gained a fierce glint that bore right into him and it reminded him of that night on the ship.

Yuuri was at a loss for words….did they know human speech? He had only heard their battle screeches and hisses when his soldiers encountered them on the seas. His nanny had once told him that merpeople possessed the most beautiful singing voices, but in his experience, he had never heard such a thing.

"Um….uh…"Yuuri stuttered for a bit, shifting uncomfortably under the unwavering stare. "Hello?..."

The merman tilted its head inquisitively. It watched Yuuri cautiously from the far end of the pool.

"You….you seem better…" Yuuri tried again, trying to sound as friendly as possible. The merman was still. Yuuri slowly approached the edge of the pool.

This time, the creature reacted. It drew back from him, baring its teeth in a low hiss, clawed fingers poised to tear his throat out if he came too close.

Yuuri raised his hands in what he hoped was the universal gesture of peace. He wanted the creature to understand that he meant no harm.

"Shhh…." Yuuri whispered, using the same tactic he used with his skittish horse. "It's okay….I'm not gonna hurt you."

"My name is Yuuri…Yuuri." He said, touching one hand to his chest as he took another slow step closer. The creature didn't recoil, but it didn't relax its stance.

"Yuuri…" He said slowly. Did the merpeople have names?

The beautiful merman gave no indication that he understood. Yuuri tried his luck and very slowly walked along the pool's edge until he came around to the other side.

He had almost made it within four feet of before the merman disappeared in a loud splash. Yuuri blinked at the swirling water where the merman used to be and turned to see the creature pop up on the other side of the pool.

Undeterred, he repeated the action, keeping his hands up as he carefully moved.

Same thing…He got to the other side only to meet a small whirlpool where the merman used to be and he turned to find the merman had popped up on the other side.

Yuuri tried another time…same thing happened. He did it three, four, five and then six more times and each time the creature would flee from him.

After the sixth attempt, Yuuri stopped. They were getting nowhere and he could visibly see the creature becoming more and more agitated instead of relaxed around him.

What could he do to show he came in peace? He thought for a minute and then finally it hit him. He snapped his fingers in triumph and rushed out of the room.

* * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram watched the strange human run away and disappear behind the moving wall. He was fearful of his life and horribly confused. What was that about?

The human had tried to follow him no matter where he went. Granted, he couldn't go far being trapped in the tiny bare sea they put him in. The water wasn't even salty and that in itself was bizarre.

The human blood had worked its magic and he was feeling much better. He certainly was not at full strength but he was confident he could take on the puny odd-acting human.

When the human had arrived Wolfram had risen out of the water to meet him. But he wasn't prepared for the way the human's dark eyes bade him stay. They were fascinating, he had never seen anything like them. Actually….he had seen them…many nights before….

The human from the ship! Wolfram was finally seeing him up close. He was just as striking as he had been that night. Wolfram could now see that he was a young male, wearing that same strange, ugly loose skin that all humans had that was different colors. But the male human's skin was the same color…he was covered entirely in black that matched his hair and eyes.

Wolfram sank back under the water and waited. It wasn't long before he heard the moving wall creak open and the human returned.

"Hey!" He heard the human call out. He toyed with the idea of just ignoring the human. He still wasn't sure what to make of the human and the situation he was in, especially the conflicting feelings that gave him a headache.

Under the water, he heard the sharp splashes from the human striking the water to get his attention. The human was growing bolder….First he chased Wolfram around the tiny sea with his hands up in some weird attack stance after uttering some complete nonsense and now he was trying to beat the water! Would he try to jump in next?

Wolfram would kill him before he had the chance to do anything.

"Hey!" The human called out again over his continued beating of the water.

Wolfram cautiously poked his head out of the water. The human smiled widely, showing his blunt white teeth. The human kneeled at the little sea's edge holding a flat thing with a fish laid on top of it.

Wolfram sniffed the air. The fish was freshly caught and looked appetizing. But it was in the hands of the human. Wolfram's stomach rumbled, he couldn't remember the last time he had eaten a proper meal. The blood helped but now that his body was recovering, it demanded more nourishment.

"I'll give you this fish if you come closer," said the human, lifting the flat thing with the fish for Wolfram to see better.

Wolfram frowned. He didn't sense any real danger from the human, but he still didn't trust him enough to get closer.

"Come on now," The human said. "I'm sure you're hungry."

The human waited, holding the plate out to entice him. Wolfram frowned. He wanted the fish, but he didn't want to get close to the human. How could he get it without having to move?

"Do you want me to bring it to you?" The human asked, standing up from his kneeling position. "Okay then,"

The human slowly walked to Wolfram's side of the pool just like he did the earlier, but he had a fish and Wolfram was hungry. The merman remained where he was and watched the human draw nearer. He kept his claws poised to strike if the human tried anything, but he forced himself to relax and keep a weather eye on his captor.

The human knelt down again only a few inches away from Wolfram. Wolfram still didn't move to take the offered food.

The human sighed. "What? Do you think I poisoned it?"

Wolfram's breath hitched. The human must have noticed because he quickly backtracked.

"No, no! I didn't really poison it! It's fine!" He said emphatically. "Um…..see?"

Wolfram watched in confusion as the human took the fish by the tail and lifted it from the flat thing. The human hesitated for a minute and the steeled himself to lick the fish with the very tip of his tongue. The human made a "Blech!" noise followed by a strange spitting noise as he tried to dispel the taste of the fish from his mouth.

Now it was here that Wolfram began to question the danger of this human and then he felt shame at being captured by such a seemingly ineffectual human. There was absolutely nothing scary, dangerous, or deceitful about this human now that he had licked a fish as if it would prove something to Wolfram.

Wolfram secretly hoped the human would lick the fish again…just to see him make that face and those noises again for his own entertainment.

"See?" The human coughed. The corner of Wolfram's mouth twitched but he refused to let on that he found the human's actions amusing. "Would I lick it if it where poisoned?"

The human plopped the fish back on the flat thing and offered it to Wolfram again. Wolfram made a disgusted expression at the human spit covered fish. He didn't want it now that a human had licked it. It was dirty.

Wolfram sniffed in contempt and turned his nose up at the food. The human made an exasperated noise.

"Oh come on!" the human cried out. "I just proved it wasn't dangerous! Don't tell me you don't want it now just cause I touched it, don't you!"

Wolfram sniffed again and turned his head away from the tainted food.

"Fine! I'll wash it then!" the human took the fish by the tail and dipped it in the water and swished it around to rinse away his saliva and then shook it dry and placed it back on the flat thing and impatiently shoved it towards Wolfram.

Wolfram was thoroughly disgusted. Did the human just take the spit covered fish and splash it around in the strange not salty water?

"There, it's clean. Now, eat it!"

No, it wasn't and no, he wouldn't! Wolfram was hungry, but he would not sacrifice his dignity for a saliva and strange water soaked fish!

The fish was now thoroughly unappetizing. It lay at a bent angle on the flat thing, in a pool of spit and dirty water.

"I suppose you want a new fish?" The human said irritably. The human sighed and plopped the rejected fish next to the pool and stomped out of the room.

Wolfram waited, poking at the tainted fish until the human came back with another human. This human also was a male and had strange circles over its eyes, and was dressed also in black with black hair. Though, his eyes weren't as striking as the first human's.

Wolfram listened to the human relate the story to the other one. The new human burst out laughing and said something Wolfram didn't quite catch. He watched them both leave again and after a few minutes, they returned again. This time they had one of those bowl things. The bowl was crystal clear and Wolfram could see a fish, exactly like the first one, swimming around in the bowl.

"Here!" said the first human. "Can't get any newer, fresher or un-poisoned as this!"

The human leaned over with the bowl, tilting it so Wolfram could easily reach in and grab the fish. This time, Wolfram obliged him and quicker than any human reflex, he snatched up the wriggling fish and bit into it in one smooth motion.

The move was so sudden that it nearly knocked the human off-balance, but Wolfram hardly noticed as he tore the flesh and crunched down on tender bones as his hunger took over.

"He might want another one," the eye-circles human said.

"I don't think we can go back down to the kitchen without them asking us weird questions," replied the first human. "They only bought our story because I'm the prince, but if we go down again, they'll probably tell Father."

"True…" said eye-circles human.

"I'll go down to the docks tomorrow after lessons and get some fish from the market," said the first human.

"You might want to get some bigger fish," said eye-circles human with amusement. "He inhaled that one!"

"Well, if he gets hungry again, he'll just have to eat that one or wait till morning," the first human said, jabbing a finger at the forgotten fish on the flat thing.

Eye-circles human laughed again. "Well, to be honest, I wouldn't have taken the fish either after you licked it!"

"I was trying to prove it wasn't poisoned!" the human said, blushing in embarrassment. "I'm trying to earn his trust!"

"I think you're on the right track," eye-circles chuckled. "Maybe just bring him a live fish from now on."

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter three of Syrena!

I hope you all enjoyed this. I wanted to get a glimpse of Wolfram's personality a little in this chapter. I have to admit I chuckled as I wrote the fish scene.

This chapter signifies my return to the KKM fanfiction community! I am back to working on my stories. I graduated from college with Academic Honors and I found steady employment until I begin the education process all over again when I apply for grad school! I thank you for all your support and understanding. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Please review! They do make a difference.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello, everyone!

Thank you for the reviews and encouragement! I'm having a great time writing this story and I hope you continue to have a great time reading it. Thank you!

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Syrena Chapter Four – Hide!

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yuuri woke up, sprawled out and half-naked, on his bed as the morning sun peered through a crack in his curtains. The morning grouch rolled over with a groan and vainly covered his eyes with a flattened pillow. He was unusually exhausted and he smelled of stale bath water.

Yuuri winced when his arms began to sting viciously underneath its bandaged, irritated from rubbing against the cloth. He would have to put a salve on the wound and re-bandage it soon.

Bits of memories from yesterday skittered across Yuuri's closed eyelids. He sat up in bed, sleep and pillow cast aside as he remembered the past events.

There was a mermaid in his bathroom…more specifically, a beautiful, sickly merman floating in his pool of a bathtub, just on the other side of the small door beside his wardrobe. The little door was the only thing standing between Yuuri's biggest secret and the ire of his family.

Yuuri quickly got out of bed and threw on whatever he had on the floor…yesterday's clothes…still smelling of dead fish.

Yuuri absently wondered how he was going to get more fresh fish for the merman. He honestly had no idea how often the creatures fed. His only encounters were that of merpeople caught in fishing nets and the occasional attack on a ship. For all he knew, the merman likely wanted another taste of his precious blood.

Pushing such unpleasant thoughts aside, Yuuri carefully opened the small door to the bathing room. The windows cast sparkling reflections on the water's surface that rippled and shook with the slow movements of the creature that lazily swam around just beneath the surface.

Yuuri smiled. He was genuinely glad that the merman was strong enough to move about on his own. He had been so still and weak the other day that Yuuri was sure he would not survive the night. But yesterday's fiasco with the fish proved that this merman was persistent if anything else. Yuuri didn't think he would be able to recover had the merman died under his watch. He felt responsible for the enchanting creature.

Yuuri stepped fully into the room. The merman sensed him immediately and a blond head slowly rose out of the water, just in the center of the pool.

"Good morning," Yuuri said quietly, not wanting to spook the creature so early.

As usual, the merman was silent, but regarded Yuuri with a level of curiosity, instead of hostility. Yuuri took this as a good sign and moved to kneel at the pool's edge. The merman made no move to come closer to him, but Yuuri didn't mind. Such things would take time. Their people had been enemies for so long, mutual killers of the other that to bridge the gap between them would not be immediate.

"How are you feeling?" Yuuri asked, letting his hand dip into the water.

The merman rose out of the water to his shoulders. Yuuri watched the tiny rivers of water run down slim but toned shoulders and upper arms.

"You look better," Yuuri observed. It was true. The merman had a healthy pink tint to his cheeks, his eyes were bright and alert, though still tired looking, and his scales had regained some of their sheen.

"I wish you could talk," Yuuri said sadly. "I read in stories as a little kid that your kind can sing beautiful songs…surely you can talk?"

The merman tilted his head to the side as if contemplating Yuuri's words. The prince stilled himself expecting the merman to make some sound or even actually speak words.

But the serious expression on the merman was broken by a wide yawn. Yuuri couldn't help the inward shudder when the yawn revealed two rows of razor sharp teeth lining a wide mouth that Yuuri had only seen on sharks. The teeth glinted in the morning sunlight as the merman's jaw extended almost at a ninety degree angle before snapping abruptly shut.

The moment was interrupted by a series of firm knocks on Yuuri's bedroom door.

"Damn! The maid!" Yuuri hissed frantically. He leapt up from his kneeling position and rushed into his bedroom to stare in fear at the door.

"Good morning, your Majesty!" chirped the friendly voice of Yuuri's longtime chambermaid Effie. "I've come to draw your bath!"

"Um…not today, Effie!" Yuuri squawked as he whipped his head back and forth looking for a way to hide the merman in his bathtub. "I'm not in the mood for a bath today!"

"Really, your Majesty?" came Effie confused voice. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine, Effie!" Yuuri said as casually as he could.

"Alright then," she said. "May I enter to collect your laundry and drain the tub of yesterday's water?"

"Um…just a minute! I'm…naked!" Yuuri stalled. So far he had no idea what to do. If he didn't let Effie in, he was sure she would suspect something and inform his father. If he did let her in, then she might go into the bathing room and discover the merman.

"Oh…."He could hear the blush in Effie's tone. "Well, I will wait then…"

"Okay!" Yuuri's mind raced as he tried to think of a way to hide the merman and appear normal.

The wardrobe!

"One moment, Effie. If you please," Yuuri called over his shoulder as he ran back into the bathing room.

The merman was leaning on the edge of the pool. Obviously listening in on the conversation in the other room. The creature backed away quickly from the pool's edge when Yuuri burst in, panicked and harried.

"Come here!' Yuuri demanded, arms extended towards the creature. He wasn't sure if he could carry the merman, but he was sure he could drag him into the wardrobe if the creature cooperated.

Which didn't seem to be the case. The creature gave a low confused hiss and backed further to the center of the pool, well out of Yuuri's reach.

"Come on!" Yuuri said in frustration. "Effie can't find you! I need to hide you! Just trust me!"

But the merman was stubborn and only stayed firmly put in the middle of the water, much to Yuuri's exasperation.

"She can't find you!" Yuuri insisted. "You have to let me hide you!"

"Prince Yuuri? Your Majesty?" Effie muffled voice called from outside. "Is everything alright? I heard a voice."

The merman tensed at the unfamiliar voice and he stared hard at Yuuri.

"Please," Yuuri begged, beckoning with his arms. "Please trust me!"

Painfully slowly, the merman swam towards Yuuri, expression hesitant and ready to attack if Yuuri gave any hint of betrayal. Yuuri smiled widely as the creature came to the side of the pool. The merman paused at the pool's edge and looked up expectantly.

Memories of hauling the heavier-than-appeared merman in his mind, Yuuri reached down and hooked his arms under the merman's armpits.

The merman, no longer as weak and catatonic, squirmed in his grasp. Yuuri nearly tripped into the water but regained his footing. Luckily, the merman wasn't attacking and instinctively wrapped his thin arms around Yuuri's neck as he was hauled out of the water.

Trying to hide his grunts of exertion, Yuuri dragged Wolfram into his room where the open wardrobe waited.

"Your Majesty! What is wrong?" Effie's voice was worried and just slightly irritated. "I must do my morning chores and give you this suit! The King expects you at breakfast!"

"Everything's alright, Effie," Yuuri grunted. They were almost all the way in the wardrobe. The merman wriggled in discomfort and Yuuri whispered an order to be still, dammit!

When they were finally inside the wardrobe, the merman tightened his grip on Yuuri's shoulders and wrapped his tail loosely around Yuuri's legs to hold himself up. Yuuri tried not to struggled under the solid weight of the creature and nestled them between the hanging robes.

"Okay, Effie! You can come in now!"

"Your Majesty?" Effie called out hesitantly as she slowly entered the bedroom. She had heard the noises of something being dragged across the floor, but she saw nothing other than the second prince's laundry covering the bedroom floor.

"Oh, your Majesty!" Effie sighed at the mess, but her tone held only affection as she bent over to pick up the scattered bits of clothing.

"Where are you, your Majesty?' Effie asked, looking around for the young prince.

"I'm in the wardrobe!" Yuuri called out. "I'm still not dressed."

He didn't see Effie shrug noncommittally and go about her chores.

Inside the wardrobe, Yuuri and the merman waited on baited breath as they listened to Effie go about her business. Yuuri's arms ached, but he only squeezed them tighter around the slim body in his embrace.

The merman was cool to the touch. Yuuri's fingers drifted over smooth scales and supple skin, feeling the taut muscle underneath.

The merman smelled like the ocean. How Yuuri had missed the smell of ocean spray from his childhood. Effie's shuffling moved to the background as fond memories flooded Yuuri's imagination.

Collecting shells, exploring tidal pools. Climbing the big black rocks to find small ocean critters in the small pools, waves crashing upon the shore, seagulls crying, a small child his age floating naked in the water talking of sharks, a screech, and then a monstrous creature with jagged teeth.

The merman shifted in his arms and Yuuri was jerked from the images playing across his mind. Something was familiar about this creature, but he couldn't remember what. He felt like he should know this merman from a time before that night on the ship. But for the life of him, he couldn't place it.

Yuuri's wonderment was replaced by growing exasperation as Effie seemed to take her sweet time collecting his laundry and tidying up here and there as she went. Normally, it only took Effie all of four minutes to go about her business before draining the bathtub and leaving for her other duties. But today, she moved in slow motion in Yuuri's mind, picking up or arranging everything as meticulously and slowly as possible.

Yuuri's legs suddenly gave under the prolonged weight of holding the merman and Yuuri clumsily feel against the inside of the wardrobe and slid down. The merman gave an involuntary yelp and plopped right into Yuuri's lap with a grunt.

He heard the sound of shuffling stop. "Are you alright, your Majesty?"

"Yeah, fine," Yuuri choked out. "Tripped."

"Oh, ok."

Finally, Effie finished her business in Yuuri's room. "I'll be back with fresh water for your bath, Prince Yuuri."

"Uh, actually, Effie," Yuuri said quickly. "I didn't take a bath yesterday, so the water's still clean. If you could please have the men below reheat it, _slightly_, then I'll be fine."

"Are you sure, your Majesty?" Yuuri could imagine the confused look on the maid's face.

"Well, Dad wants me at breakfast, right? Then just reheat the bath for me when I get back so I can get ready quickly for Dad's guests."

"Alright then, your Majesty," Effie replied. "I'll let the others know."

"Thanks, Effie!" Yuuri called as he tried to stand up with the merman in his arms, which didn't work. "And tell them to heat it only enough to be warm!"

He didn't want the merman to think he was trying to boil him alive and he had read somewhere that merpeople were sensitive to heat.

"Yes, your Majesty."

The door gently shut and Yuuri knew they were finally clear. Now he just had to get the merman back into the pool.

The merman made no move to help Yuuri other than to grip as tight as he could while the exhausted prince dragged him back into the bathing room. Yuuri had broken out in a thin sheen of sweat by the time they had made it to the pool's edge. He dumped the merman more roughly into the water than he intended, but his arms gave out at finally not having to support the merman any longer.

The merman broke the surface of the water to give Yuuri an indignant glare.

"M'sorry," Yuuri said sheepishly.

The merman 'hmph'd' and swam up to Yuuri. The prince couldn't help but smile at this new trust in the other creature.

"I wish you could talk," Yuuri whispered, gently petting the dripping wet hair.

So suddenly and so quietly that Yuuri nearly thought it was his imagination, the merman spoke barely above a whisper.

"I can talk fine…."

The voice was so casual and nonchalant, as if merpeople speaking in the human tongue was common. But for Yuuri, he nearly fell back on his haunches in shock and sputtered stupidly for several moments.

"Great One! You just talked!" Yuuri shrieked, eyes as big as dinner plates.

The merman crinkled his nose in distaste at Yuuri's outburst and then answered flatly.

"Of course I can! I'm not a complete imbecile like your kind seems to think I am! I can understand you perfectly! As a matter of fact, I should be asking you how you know my people's language?"

"Your people's language?" Yuuri said, his shock quickly replaced by confusion. "I've been speaking to you in the Common Tongue since the beginning!"

The merman shook his head. "At first yes, but the second time I saw you, you were speaking our language perfectly. Though you do have a heavy accent which makes it hard to understand sometimes."

"Is that why you let me lift you out of the water?" Yuuri asked. "Because you knew what I was saying?"

The merman nodded. "Partly, yes. I picked up that there was danger and you wanted to hide me. I just didn't know it would be in that cramped square cave with you fondling me!"

"I wasn't fondling you, I was trying to hold you!" Yuuri protested. "You're tail is very heavy."

The merman turned up his nose. "Hmph….you could have been a little gentler, I'm not a sack of rocks to be tossed so unceremoniously!"

"Sorry," Yuuri muttered. "I was trying to make sure you were hidden from Effie."

""Is the Effie an enemy?" The merman asked, slightly concerned.

"No, The Effie – erm, I mean, Effie isn't an enemy," Yuuri explained quickly. "But she works for my Dad and he doesn't like merpeople." Yuuri then mumbled under his breath. "No one except me does…."

But Yuuri forgot that merpeople were very sensitive to noise and the merman heard that last bit very clearly.

"Why did you save me when most would have let me die?"

"I just….couldn't…" Yuuri said, not really able to give the answer as to why. Other than the immense attraction to this particular merman. "I just couldn't let you die like that."

"But we are enemies," The merman pointed out.

"Our people are," Yuuri replied. "But we don't have to be. I don't want to be your enemy. I want to help you."

"But the others will kill me…"

"I won't let them!" Yuuri said, louder than he mean to. "I won't let anyone hurt you…Never."

They were both silent for a while, both contemplating this new revelation. They could communicate with each other and neither felt the inherited anger and prejudices that they had been taught their entire lives. Yuuri found himself wanting nothing more than for this merman to trust him and a part of him hoped that the creature felt the same energy between them as he did.

"I remember you from that night on the ship," Yuuri said quietly, hoping that it would jar the merman's memories. "I saw you in the water."

The merman looked back at him with an unfathomable expression. "And I you. It is strange…"

"Yeah…" Yuuri whispered, falling quickly into the familiar hypnosis whenever he gazed too long at the merman.

"I remember the way your people savagely killed one of my kin!" The merman suddenly growled, pulling away from Yuuri with an accusatory look.

The hypnotic state broken, Yuuri stumbled to explain himself. "I-I tried to stop them! I didn't want them to kill it!"

"Will you kill me too?" The merman said. Yuuri could detect a tinge of fear underneath the fierce growl of the creature. "Are you going to eat me?"

"Ew!...I mean…no, I wouldn't eat you!" Yuuri said quickly, waving his hands in such a way as to wipe away the suggestion. "We don't eat merpeople! Well…some do…but that's the witch doctors in town who sell pieces of merpeople meat with the scales. It's supposed to cure everything…but other than that, nobody eats merpeople. Even if they did it's too expensive to do it…on…a regular…basis…."

Much too late, Yuuri realized that he had done little to assuage the merman's suspicions. He probably made them worse as the merman now wore a distinctively disgusted look on his face as Yuuri prattled on and slowly came to a stop. He stared guiltily at the merman, who regarded Yuuri with a cold stare.

In a desperate effort to dispel the tension in the air, Yuuri thrust a shaky hand at he merman with his best meek grin.

"I'm Yuuri, by the way…"

"I know what your name is," The merman said flatly.

"Oh…" Yuuri blinked. "Well…I don't know what your name is. Do you have a name?" 

The merman scoffed. "Of course I have a name! What a silly question!"

"Okay," Yuuri said. "Then what is it?"

The merman straightened himself up and said with pride. "I am Wolfram."

"Wolfram," Yuuri repeated, trying out the sounds on his tongue. "I like that name…"

The merman – Wolfram, gave a very faint smile. "Yuuri is fine too…"

Yuuri gave the biggest grin ever at Wolfram's words. He didn't know why this creature's approval meant so much to him, but he wanted Wolfram to become close with him.

"I'd like for us to be friends, Wolfram," Yuuri said gently.

The merman eye's widened in surprise. Yuuri guessed that he was the only human who had ever offered friendship to Wolfram or to any merperson ever. It made Yuuri all the more determined to bridge the gap between him and the lovely Wolfram.

The moment was interrupted by a series of knocks at the bedroom door. Yuuri and Wolfram immediately tensed when the door to Yuuri's bedchamber was thrown open and the bathroom door followed suit, giving neither of them time to react.

"Good morning, your Highness!" Murata cried jovially as he burst into the bathing room. "Is the merman still here?"

Yuuri's fear melted into relief when his friend entered and there was no sign of any nosy accompanying maids. "Murata!"

"Yes, your Highness?" Murata said with a smirk that quickly faded into awe when he saw the merman floating just a few inches from where Yuuri knelt.

"Oh, wow," Murata said. "You got him to come close to you? How did you get him past Effie?"

"He and I were in the closet," Yuuri explained. Murata snorted. "What?"

"Sorry," Murata said through the low chuckles. "It's just….if you spent any time among the common folk, you would know what you just said could mean but…never mind. It's too complicated to explain."

"Weird," Yuuri muttered.

"How is he?" Murata asked, looking carefully at Wolfram who steadily returned his stare. "He's looking much better."

"Yeah," Yuuri said, happily.

"You think it was your blood?"

Yuuri thought for a moment and repressed a shudder. He felt the healing welt throb underneath his sleeve. It was healing nicely, but the memory always made him sore and served as a reminder that Wolfram, while now friendly, was still potentially dangerous.

"Possibly," he said slowly, memories of Wolfram's large yawning mouth with shark teeth flittering across his vision. "I haven't fed him yet."

"Well, it's made a considerable difference," Murata concluded. "He looks totally different."

"Yeah, he does," Yuuri said with a smile. Wolfram simply stared back at him

"Can he talk?" Murata asked, leaning in closer to the merman. Wolfram backed up slightly with a frown. "The book said they could vocalize…"

"Yeah, he can!" Yuuri said excitedly. "He and I were just talking when you came in. Wolfram, say something to Murata."

"Wolfram?" Murata said, looking at the two weirdly.

"That's his name," Yuuri explained. "He told me. Come on, Wolfram! Tell Murata your name or something."

Wolfram bristled at the command. He only glared at Murata and then 'hmph'd' again, turning away from them.

Yuuri pouted. "Come on. Just say hello. Please?"

" I don't take orders from humans!" Wolfram hissed.

"Okay, okay," Yuuri said waving his arms. "Sorry! Can you please say something to Murata? So he knows you can talk?"

"He looks frightened," Wolfram said with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Yuuri asked in confusion and turned to address his friend. "Murata what is he talking about?"

But Murata was silent, instead he was staring at Yuuri and Wolfram with a weird, confused look on his face.

"Murata?" Yuuri inquired. "What's wrong?"

"What the hell was that?" Murata asked pointing at Wolfram.

"What was what?"

"All I heard form the merman was a bunch of squeaks and clicks…like a dolphin…and-and you just responded to him with those same noises!"

"What?" Yuuri exclaimed.

"You just made dolphin noises with the merman!" Murata exclaimed. 

"No, I didn't!" Yuuri protested. "Didn't you hear him? Wolfram spoke perfectly and I talked like I'm talking to you right now!"

"Now you are," Murata jabbed a finger at Wolfram, who was listening to the exchange intently. "Say something to him!"

"Fine!" Yuuri turned to Wolfram. "_Murata's going crazy and hearing things_-"

"There! You just did it again!" Murata cried out. "How did you learn to communicate with him like that?"

"I'm speaking to him like normal!" Yuuri insisted. "Okay, you try talking to him!"

Murata knelt next to Yuuri and said with determination. "My name is Murata. I'm Prince Yuuri's best friend and I think this is the strangest thing I have ever seen!"

Yuuri turned to Wolfram expectantly.

"I don't understand a word he just said," Wolfram stated flatly.

"But, I understand both of you perfectly!" Yuuri said. Now he was really confused.

"See!" Murata stood up on his feet. "You just did it again! He made those noise and you responded just like he did!"

"What's going on?" Yuuri said in exasperation.

"You can speak his language," Murata said in wonder. "You can understand him and no one else. This is amazing!"

"But…that's impossible!" Yuuri cried, looking between Murata and Wolfram, who watched their antics with mild amusement.

"You do speak my tongue very well," Wolfram commented.

"_But, you're speaking my language!"_ Yuuri insisted before twitching in frustration when Murata pointed at him and shouted "Ha! You speak mermaid!"

"I don't know how!" Yuuri said with a stomp of his foot.

"It must be some magic!" Murata said. "This is so cool!"

"It must be…" Yuuri muttered staring at the quietly observant merman. Wolfram lazily shrugged his shoulders indicating that this was an unexpected for him as it was for Yuuri.

"I think there's more to the two of you than you realize," Murata said with an unreadable smile.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yuuri reluctantly had to set aside this new revelation of his ability to communicate with Wolfram when Effie returned to bid him hasten for his father had something very important to discuss with him over breakfast – to which he was running very late.

With a frantic yelp, Yuuri rushed about his room yanking whatever suit and tunic he got his hands on from the massive wardrobe and hope that it didn't smell too much like merman as he yanked on the fine clothes and ran a hand through his messy black hair and all but sprinted towards the dining hall.

Yuuri stumbled through the doorway to the dining hall and was met by the disapproving stare of his Father King Shouma, along with his mother Queen Miko.

"Prince Yuuri, " His father said with latent sarcasm. "So good of you to honor us with your presence."

Yuuri tried to stand up a little straighter and preserve his dignity. "Good morning, father. I apologize for my lateness. I was-"

Yuuri was spared the burden of making up a lie when his father impatiently waved him silent and motioned for him to sit down at the table.

Yuuri's bottom had barely touched the cushioned seat before a generous platter of food was placed before him by a silent page. Yuuri didn't touch the food, for he knew better than to eat without his father's permission. Judging by the look on the king's face, Yuuri was certain that his father wanted to discuss business with him before he would even have a chance to taste a morsel.

Right on cue, King Shouma cleared his throat and began much too formally for a father speaking with his son.

"Second Prince Yuuri," King Shouma began regally. "Your mother and I have been discussing your future as of late and what to do about it."

Yuuri's hackles were instantly up. "Discussing his future" usually meant that they had already made a decision as to what he was supposed to do and he had no say in it – as usual.

"And what was that?" He replied, carefully keeping his tone polite.

"Well, as you know, you just turned sixteen two months ago and as such have now reached the marrying age," Shouma continued. "It is quickly approaching that time when you serve your country by procuring a strong alliance with a youngprincess."

"I don't recall you making this decision when Shouri turned sixteen," Yuuri pointed out, unable to hide the bitter tone in his voice.

"Shouri is different," Shouma countered, used to Yuuri's apparent whining when it came to differences between his and Shouri's upbringing. "He is the heir to the throne and he requires a bride of a different caliber, one that we have been unable to find."

In reality, because of his higher status as the Crown Prince Shouri had the privilege of being choosier with his potential brides and had gone through at least twelve different women from various noble families before growing bored and stalling his marriage indefinitely.

"Shouma," Queen Miko chimed in. "Yuuri is still young…there really isn't a hurry for him to marry just yet. He should be allowed to enjoy his youth while he has it."

"He is of the royal family. He doesn't have the time to enjoy his youth." Shouma said.

"Shouri got to enjoy his youth!" Yuuri couldn't help but whine.

"Shouri spent his sixteenth and seventeenth years leading a military campaign against the marauding Svelerans that saved our northwestern trade routes and secured the Opus Canal for our kingdom!" Shouma said curtly. "And what have you accomplished?"

"I've only been sixteen for two months!" Yuuri protested. "And I've been doing stuff! I'm head of the military campaign against the merpeople infestation!"

A little bit of bile choked up in Yuuri's throat when he said that. He could never mention his line of work without seeing images of the slaughtered merfolk his men caught on their barbed nets. It haunted him at night and left him feeling like more of a monster than the creatures he was forced to hunt.

"Yes, when your brother and I drag you by your teeth to the docks and basically have to order the men to do their jobs with or without you!" Shouma scoffed

"Shouma!" Miko chided. "Leave him be! Shouri has a natural talent for these things. Yuuri's just a late bloomer."

"Anyway!" Shouma said, waving his hand dismissively. "Let's not digress. The point is that you, Yuuri, are of marriageable age and as the second prince, your duties are in the military and in securing strong allies. Seeing as how you lack the skill or motivation to make a name for yourself as a military leader, you may best serve your brother's reign by finding a wife."

"I don't want to get married!" Yuuri said, now openly showing his frustration with his father. A part of him was saddened and hurt. His father only talked to Yuuri when it involved something he wanted to the second born to do – "for the kingdom."

"You won't have to get married right away, sweetie," Miko said, trying desperately to dispel the growing tension between her son and husband. "We just mean that we should start the process. Right, Shouma?"

"Yes," the king acceded. "It won't be this instant, Yuuri. There are many suitable brides and there is a complex protocol that must be followed. It takes time, so it would be best for you to start your search earlier rather than later. You can never know what may happen in the future. And the stability of a kingdom can be determined by the strength of her allies. Even young Murata trains hard to be a worthy successor of his father when he becomes the Daikenja."

"But you didn't even think to ask me first before you made the decision?" Yuuri said angrily.

"That is the way of royal duty, my son," Shouma said coldly. "You must fulfill your destiny as Second Prince whether you want to or not. The sooner you learn that the better."

Yuuri huffed and glared at his now cold food. He had lost his appetite. This is was exactly how his life had been defined ever since he was young. Every decision was made for him. What to wear, who to speak to, and now who to marry. Even if his father gave him a "choice" out of the prospective brides, he would still be expected to choose who his parents thought would be best as wife to the Second Prince.

He hated it, and he hated it all the more when it was painfully clear that he could do nothing about it.

Taking Yuuri's silence as obeisance, Shouma made his next statement.

"Your first candidate will be here in three months. Lady Amelia of Norwich."

"Really, Father!" Yuuri cried out, throwing his hands up in defeat. "What was the point of even having this conversation then? Have you already picked the wedding date, too?"

"There will be none of that back talk, young man!" Shouma scolded him. "You will fulfill your obligations and you will be a gracious host to Lady Norwich when she arrives. Is that clear?"

Yuuri gritted his teeth to the point of giving him a small headache. He wanted so badly to stand up to his father and tell him what he thought of this whole debacle. But a pleading look from his mother made him swallow his anger and grudgingly oblige.

"Yes, Father…"

Shouma smiled triumphantly and changed to subject to something Yuuri couldn't be bothered to listen to. He thought longingly of Wolfram hiding in his bathtub and hoped that Effie remembered to tell the servants not to heat up the pool water too much.

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Effie rushed threw her morning chores. Somehow, thanks to unseen forces, she had fallen behind on her daily schedule. She heaved a large basket of Prince Yuuri's clothing deep into the bowels of the castle to be laundered by the washerwoman.

Sweat trickled down her chin and matted her hair as the stifling heat grew around her as she drew closer to the central heating system of the castle. Shin Makoku's palace was known for its advanced plumbing systems where baths and fountains could be heated or cooled from underground furnaces powered by servants and quite a few prisoners of war. It was no mistake that the heating chambers were close to the dungeons.

She wondered absently about the Prince's abnormal behavior. Yuuri was very meticulous about his hygiene and demanded a fresh batch of hot bath water every day. Luckily, his bath was nowhere near as huge as the king's or Prince Shouri's so it was not nearly as strenuous to heat and refill it as the others were. But, she knew that she would be met with the same amount of griping from the muscled men that fueled the fires and turned the cranks that heated the giant pipes under the bathroom floors.

Dumping the basket of clothes with a relieved sigh she scurried down another hall to where the strong men sat around a beaten wooden table drinking their morning ale and awaiting their orders to heat the furnaces.

"Good morning, gents," she said cheerily.

One man slammed down his mug, and gave a huge grin up at Effie. "G'mornin', my sweet. How ya doing?"

"I am fine," Effie said courteously. She could never get used to the boisterous yet friendly men. They shouted everything. "His Majesty, Prince Yuuri, wants his bath water heated for him when he returns from breakfast. You should get on it now."

"Bahhhh!" one of them groaned. "We were jus' getting comfy. An' Mrs. Riley 'asn't brought our meat an' bread yet!"

"Just start the fire and I'll bring yer food when your done!" Came the voice of Mrs. Riley from the kitchen. Effie could see her throwing slabs of steak onto a lit grill.

"That woman can 'ear the dead," The third servant muttered, getting up to fetch the giant logs of wood.

"Thank you, gents," Effie said sweetly. "And remember. The Prince likes it good and hot!"

"Good an' 'ot!" The first servant said. "We got it. The Royal Spare needs to be squeaky clean for 'is dear ol' dad!"

Effie smiled and bid the men goodbye, eager to finish out her chores before her lunch break.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram lazily swam around in circles in the pool. He ignored the growling in his stomach and hoped that Yuuri remembered to bring him some food when he returned.

He wondered about the strange situation he was in. He thought for sure they would have killed hi and eaten his flesh by now. He had heard so many stories of merpeople captured by hunters and killed for their meat and scales. He was sure that would be his fate…but now he didn't know.

Yuuri was so odd. He had never met a human who regarded him with such curiosity and care. Yuuri was in now way scary or even remotely intimidating in the least. He didn't know if he should be relieved or embarrassed to have been captured by such a childish human.

Wolfram wondered if he would ever see his clan again. The winter months were approaching and as such, his clan would begin their yearly trek to warmer waters. They moved quickly and waited for no one. If Wolfram didn't make it in time, he would be left to make the trek himself and face all the dangers of the southern seas alone.

He didn't want to face the orcas and great sharks that would love to prey on a lone merman. He would have to find a way out of this place soon, if he wanted to survive the winter.

A thought of Yuuri letting him stay crossed his mind and the thought was quickly dispelled. Even if Yuuri was a truly kind human, there was no guarantee that his kinfolk would be so gregarious. He got the impression that Yuuri had to keep his presence a secret in order to protect him. Wolfram doubted such a ruse could hold for very long.

Wolfram fidgeted in the water. The temperature had suddenly increased in the last few minutes and it was starting to grow uncomfortable. The water stung at the sensitive skin between his scales and he sped up his swimming to diminish the discomfort.

He grew agitated when the water grew even hotter and his movement became more frantic as the heat stung at his arms, face and torso.

'What is going on?' he thought with a mixture of irritation and worry. He wished he could just swim to another pool but the pool was enclosed. There were no underwater tunnels or channels that he could escape through to cooler waters.

The stinging grew painful when the water reached unbearably hot temperatures and Wolfram began to claw at the walls of the pool. He started to panic when his skin turned bright red and tiny blisters formed on his arms.

He grew dizzy from the heat and he was ready to dig his way through the cement to get away. His skin and eyes burned in the water as he came to the conclusion that he had been tricked.

'I'm going to die! He left me here to boil to death!'

The water became unbearable. Wolfram's panic set in and his mind could only conjure a single thought.

_Get out of the water!_

Using every ounce of his strength, Wolfram grasped the edges of the pool and hoisted himself up and over the edge, rolling the rest of the way out of the pool.

The cold, smooth marble felt wonderful against his blanched skin. Wolfram rolled onto his back, panting and shaking as he stared up at the ceiling to regain his composure.

As his rational mind returned to him, Wolfram grew angry and his cheeks flushed with a different kind of heat as he swore he would get revenge when that stupid wimp returned.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yuuri just about ran out of the dining room when his father finally got tired of hearing himself talk and dismissed Yuuri for the rest of the day. Conversation over lunch had consisted of Yuuri's marriage prospects, Lady Norwich, protocol and a bunch of other things the young prince couldn't be bothered to listen to, instead he opted to pick at his meal and slowly sip on a glass of wine, wishing he could just get himself smashed.

Yuuri's mood brightened when he thought of all the things he wanted to do with Wolfram. He had so many questions! He wanted to know everything about Wolfram. He wanted to know about the merpeople, where they lived, what they ate and how they hunted, how they survived under water for hours – everything! He could easily see an entire afternoon spent just talking with his new friend and learning all the things he had wanted to know about the ocean since he was a little boy.

He managed to stop by the kitchens and steal a fish from a barrel. The fish had long stopped flopping and he hoped it would still be fresh enough for Wolfram's taste. It was all he could do for now until Murata finished with his training and was able to help Yuuri smuggle seafood into his room.

Yuuri entered his room and carefully pulled out the fish wrapped in brown paper. He would have to get his shirt laundered immediately if he wanted the smell gone for good.

"Hey, Wolfram?" Yuuri quietly called out as he opened the door to the bathroom. He frowned when he noticed the low-lying steam curling around his feet and the sudden humidity of the room as he entered further.

'Odd…'

Yuuri froze and his stomach dropped when he realized that Effie had not followed his instructions and the servants had heated up the water to piping hot – the way he usually liked it, except for today.

"Wolfram?" Yuuri called out frantically. He could barely see past the clouds of steam and stumbled around the pool, searching for the merman.

"Wolfram! Great One! I'm so sorry. Wolfram, where are you?!"

Yuuri heard a soft growl from his right and spun on his heel to find Wolfram lying at the pool's edge, skin bright red and looking painfully scalded.

"Oh my god! Wolfram, are you all right?" Yuuri said, falling to his knees to help the merman up.

Yuuri had to jump back when Wolfram snapped powerful jaws at him when he tried to touch the merman. Yuuri looked at Wolfram with shock and hurt that his new friend would turn on him when he was trying to help.

"Wolfram what's wrong?"

"What is wrong?" Wolfram hissed, swinging his tail agitatedly. "'What is wrong,' he asks me! You know perfectly well what's wrong! You tried to steam me alive!"

"What?" Yuuri cried out in surprise. "No! Wolfram, I would never do that to you!"

"Then why did the water turn hot?! Don't you know that it burns our kind! I nearly died!" Wolfram shouted at him, pointing angrily at the steaming water.

"I am so sorry, Wolfram," Yuuri said insistently. "Effie must have missed what I said and told them to heat the water up the way I usually like it."

"I thought you said the Effie wasn't an enemy!" Wolfram growled.

"No, she made a mistake. Please you got to believe me," Yuuri pleaded. He didn't want Wolfram to hate him, not when he was finally getting the merman to trust him.

"Why did you bring me here?" Wolfram said in frustration. "You save me and then you try to kill me. You should have just left me on the beach to die! I would have preferred it!"

"No!" Yuuri shouted. Probably a little harder than he should have for Wolfram immediately recoiled and poised himself for Yuuri's perceived strike.

"No," He said again, gentler this time. "It's not like that at all! No one is trying to kill you. I meant it when I said I wouldn't let anything hurt you!"

"Look at my arms!" Wolfram cried, showing Yuuri the angry red welts running up and down his thin arms.

Yuuri winced. They weren't too serious. However, they did look like they had hurt and he could only imagine how frightened Wolfram must have been when the water began to heat up suddenly.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am," Yuuri whispered sadly. "I didn't mean for this to happen. You just got to believe me, Wolfram."

When Wolfram made no indication that he had forgiven Yuuri in the slightest. The Prince did the only thing he could think of.

Slowly, Yuuri undid the bandage around his forearm, revealing the scabbed over bite from yesterday. He turned to present Wolfram with the unmarred side of his flesh and offered it to him.

Wolfram stared at the offered limb and then stared at Yuuri.

"It made you better the first time," Yuuri said, trying to stop the quiver in his voice. "My blood, that is. Maybe it will help your steam burns?"

Wolfram was still as a statue. This Yuuri was ever stranger and he had no idea on how to react to such altruism.

"It will hurt," he said, still not taking the arm that held the life-giving blood.

"Please," Yuuri insisted, pushed his arm closer to the point where he could feel Wolfram's breath tickle the fine hairs on his skin. "It's retribution for nearly killing you."

Wolfram hesitated. Yuuri remained still, not backing away from his offer. He was not looking forward to the burning pain, but fi it regained Wolfram's trust then he would do it willingly.

Wolfram slowly reached out and took Yuuri's arm. Yuuri braced himself when he felt long finger curl around his arm, locking it in place as Wolfram's teeth grazed against his skin.

Greene eyes looked up at Yuuri as if to say "are you sure?" When Yuuri gave a firm nod, Wolfram carefully sank his teeth into the soft flesh.

It hurt just as much as the first time, even if Wolfram seemed to take care and was gently sucking only a small amount of blood from Yuuri's veins. It still burned like hell and Yuuri steeled himself to prevent a reflexive punch to Wolfram's face.

After what was only a few seconds but felt like hours to Yuuri Wolfram licked up the last drops of blood and gently placed Yuuri's arm on his won lap and regarded him with an unreadable expression.

Yuuri examined the new wound. It wasn't as bad as the first one. The bite was much smaller and not nearly as deep. Wolfram had been self-controlled in his consumption and Yuuri was somewhat grateful. It still stung though.

Wolfram suddenly heaved and fell into a writhing mass on the floor. Yuuri sat in dumb shock before eh could gather enough sense to even understand what was happening.

"Wolfram, what's wrong?" Yuuri cried out, watching in rapt horror as Wolfram began to moan and scream as his scales began to fall off.

"My-my tail!" Wolfram cried, clawing at his peeling tail. Scales were falling to the marble floor making loud tinkling noises that reminded Yuuri of shards of glass hitting a hard surface.

Yuuri watched, disgusted and fascinated, as the skin around the edge of Wolfram's tail peeled back to reveal pale pink skin underneath.

Wolfram's cries grew louder as he watched the lower half of his body disintegrate.

Yuuri stood in shock as Wolfram's tail fell off in skin-like sheets to the ground, giving off a metallic smell. But what had Yuuri in a stupor was the pair of slim legs that were gradually uncovered underneath Wolfram's once beautiful tail.

"What have you done to me?!" Wolfram shrieked, there was no anger in his voice, only pure fear as everything came apart for him. He looked down in absolute terror at the two resin-covered limbs sticking out where his tail used to be.

"I-I-I-I!" Yuuri stuttered, as lost and confused as the merman. All around Wolfram lay the carnage of the transformation - sheets of scales littered the floor and leaked blood and other strange liquids onto the smooth tiles.

Yuuri didn't have to worry about responding to Wolfram's question for the merman finally gave in under the stress and terror by passing out in a wet heap at Yuuri's feet.

Seeing his new friend so helpless on the ground, helped Yuuri regain his senses and he rushed out of the bathroom to find Murata and translate the rest of that mermaid book.

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Chapter four!

I hope you all don't get mad at me for making Shouma a semi-antagonist (This story won't have a villain – just difficult situations). I know he's a nice enough guy in the anime, but I needed someone to create future tension for our favorite couple. Don't worry; he'll come around eventually (I hope).

I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm currently in Ocean City, MD and the beach and the ocean inspired me to continue this story.

Updates on stories have been slow. Life is kicking me in my nonexistent balls right now, but I'm pushing through. The next chapter of the Haunting of Yuuri Shibuya will be up in the next couple of weeks. I'm having extreme difficulty writing out a certain sequence of scenes and its just not working the way I want it to. I may have to try a new approach.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and I can't wait to hear what you think of this new chapter!

Please review!

Love, EB


	5. Chapter 5

Syrena Chapter Five

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I wish I could reply to all of your reviews individually since you're so kind to take the time to write them. Just know that I do read your reviews and I take your suggestions and comments into consideration when I write my next chapters. It means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy this second installment.

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Syrena Chapter Five – Land Legs

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One minute Murata was sitting quietly in the massive castle library reading the clearly marked passages his father left for him and then in the next, he was startled out of his skin by the doors being thrown wide open and a frantic Prince Yuuri grabbing him by his wrist to roughly yank him out the door.

Murata watched jostled maids and vibrant colors whiz past him while Yuuri babbled incoherently about something or other in a hissing whisper as to not draw attention. However, Murata didn't see how he could accomplish that, what with knocking over unsuspecting staff and tearing through the great halls.

"Shibuya, slow down!" Murata exclaimed, using the old nickname from when they had been children.

"We have to hurry, Murata!" Yuuri retorted, not slowing down one bit. "He needs our help!"

"What happened?" Murata asked, immediately knowing who Yuuri was referring to.

"I'll tell you when we get there," Yuuri said. "It's not safe to talk openly here."

Murata stayed silent until they reached Yuuri's bedroom. In one smooth motion, Yuuri opened the door, practically threw Murata into the room and slammed the door shut and locking it behind them.

Murata hadn't even regained his balance before Yuuri started spouting his entire story a mile a minute. Honestly, Murata could only pick up bits and pieces of what was being thrown at him.

"_ and then his skin fell off and he grew legs!" Yuuri hyped.

"Wait...what?" Murata said in confusion. "The mermaid?"

"Yes!" Yuuri said. "Haven't you been listening?"

"I only caught less than half of what you said," Murata said. "You were speaking a mile a second."

Yuuri looked slightly embarrassed. "Sorry…but you gotta see him!"

"Where is-" Murata never got finish as Yuuri grabbed his wrist again and dragged him into the bathing room.

"There he is!" Yuuri said, pointing at a limp figure lying next to the steaming pool.

Murata peered through the steam to see the unconscious mermen, now turned human, lying next to the pool's edge exactly as Yuuri had left him moments before.

Slowly, Murata creeped up next to the merman. He gently rolled the creature over onto his back. When he kneeled down, he caught the rancid scent of rotting blood and looked down in disgust at the sheets of skin lying around.

"So gross!" He hissed under his breath. "What the hell happened here, Shibuya? What did you do to him?"

"I didn't do anything!" Yuuri said indignantly. "I was trying to help him! Didn't you hear what I've been telling you?"

"Reiterate for me," Murata said as he continued to examine the merman.

Where there was once a glorious shimmering tail was now a pair of slender pale legs ending in two slim feet. The merman was now indistinguishable from any other human being. The only indication of the creature's other worldliness was his remarkable beauty.

"The maid had the bathwater heated up too much and Wolfram ended up burned, so I thought I'd give him another drink of my blood since it helped him the first time."

Murata stopped his examination and looked up at Yuuri in shock. "You let him drink your blood again?"

Yuuri shuffled on his feet nervously. "I just wanted to help him…"

Murata stood up. "Well, that may explain the sudden transformation. But now we need to figure out why this happened and what to do. He obviously can't stay hidden in your bathtub anymore."

"Yeah…" Yuuri muttered. "What are you doing?"

Murata moved to crouch at the merman's feet. "We need to get him to your bed. He can't lie here on the cold ground. Then we can look at those books again and see if we can find answers."

Yuuri quickly nodded and positioned himself at the merman's head. On the count of three, they gently lifted the merman – who was oddly lighter than before – and maneuvered him on to Yuuri's huge bed.

Laid before them on the luxurious comforter, the merman was ethereal in his appearance. Both boys had to stop and simply take in the captivating vision that was Wolfram. The merman was sleeping peacefully, no longer the vicious hunter of the sea that they were taught to hate and fear. Now, both felt a sense of awe and protectiveness for the newly turned human.

"Well, this should make things easier," Murata said at length.

"What will?" Yuuri asked, not looking up from Wolfram.

"Now that he is obviously human. You don't have to worry about hiding him so much," The sage-in-training explained. "But we still need a plausible story to explain why he's here."

"I can't just keep him in my room?" Yuuri said in false hope.

Murata shook his head. "He's likely going to want to explore and how are you going to explain to the maids and your parents why you're sneaking food up to your room?"

"Yeah…you're right," Yuuri said. He looked up and down the merman's body and crinkled his nose. "He's going to need clothes."

Murata chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I don't think it would be good of him to go around completely naked."

Yuuri fetched a spare set of nightclothes and the two boys worked together to carefully dress the merman. Wolfram barely stirred, only mumbling before turning over and curling into a ball as he settled back into sleep.

"I can have some clothes brought up for him," Yuuri said offhandedly as they went back to read the mysterious books that still sat in a pile by the fireplace. "We can't dress him in our clothes."

Murata nodded. Both he and Yuuri's daily garb bore the insignia of their respective houses where all could see. Yuuri's clothing had the added trait of being black or having a black decoration to signify his status as royalty. It was a terrible crime for any non-member of the ruling family to wear black.

"I think he'd look nice in blue…."

Murata looked quizzically at his friend. "You think that?"

Yuuri just shrugged. "He just looks like blue would be his color."

Murata gave Yuuri an odd look. "Okay then…"

The friends sat down to another session of reading and translating the old tomes. After about an hour, punctuated by Yuuri looking up whenever the sleeping merman made so much as a peep, they had found nothing of any real use. Murata did make note of a short passage that briefly mentioned merpeople having the ability to assume human form on a full moon, but it did not specify how. Not to mention, the merman had transformed during the day.

"Was there a full moon last night?" Murata asked.

Yuuri looked up from the book he was struggling to interpret. "I dunno…..maybe. It was waxing the other day so it might be full by now."

"It says here that merpeople can change into humans on a full moon," Murata explained.

"Even during the day?" Yuuri said skeptically.

"Well, sometimes the full moon can be seen during the day," Murata pointed out. "So, if there was a full moon then maybe that had something to do with it?"

Yuuri was unconvinced. "That still sounds made up."

"You know what, Shibuya," Murata said setting the book down. "I almost want to say you might have made one of the greatest scientific discoveries in all of Shin Makoku."

"How so?" Yuuri asked, looking up from the book he was struggling to translate. He wished he had paid more attention in his ancient languages class with the royal tutor.

"Other than that little bit, there is no mention at all of a merman transforming completely into a human. Merfolk do have the ability to appear as human but only from the waist up to lure their human prey. However, somehow your blood allowed the merman-"

"Wolfram," Yuuri corrected.

"Wolfram – to fully change into a human. There has been nothing like this before, otherwise, it would be in these books."

"So what do we do?" Yuuri said worriedly.

"We might have to give up on finding out why Wolfram changed," Murata said. "Right now, we need to come up with a believable story to explain why he's here. You can't hide him in your room, someone will find out. It's better if we come up with a tall tale for your family."

"Father doesn't like uninvited guests," Yuuri said, his concern only growing. "And he certainly doesn't like uninvited commoners either. That's what he'll think Wolfram is – some poor person I snuck into the palace."

Murata thought for a moment…and then an idea came to him. "That could work!"

"What do you mean?" Yuuri asked.

"In one of my lessons a few days ago, the Daikenja told me of a law where a subject of the king can ask for sanctuary if their life has been threatened."

Yuuri crinkled his nose in confusion. "I've never heard of that law."

"The law hasn't been used in decades and for good reason," Murata explained, beaming in pride form his own cleverness. "Do you know how many people would swarm the palace asking for sanctuary if they knew? We'd be overrun within hours. They removed the law from the public codex to prevent the castle from being overtaken by commoners."

"Oh….that makes sense," Yuuri mumbled. He couldn't imagine his parents being very thrilled to host a gaggle of commoners. His father barely enjoyed hosting some of their more distant relatives, usually his in-laws.

"However," Murata continued. "The law remained in the royal codex, so that it could remain in use at the king's discretion. But I think you, as a prince, can grant sanctuary as well."

"Really?" Yuuri asked.

"There's nothing in the codex that says a prince can't," Murata said.

"Oh..." Yuuri was hopeful. "Then I could grant Wolfram sanctuary!"

"Yep!" Murata grinned. "So here's our story. You met Wolfram yesterday while you were at the beach. He came to you and begged for sanctuary from his abusive parents. You saw how beat up and weak he was so you said yes and brought him back to the castle."

"How did Wolfram tell me if he can't speak the Common tongue?" Yuuri inquired.

Murata stopped. He had forgotten about that. As far as they knew, Wolfram could only speak his own language and Yuuri alone could understand him. If all Murata heard when Wolfram spoke was chirps and clicks, then it was likely the others would as well.

"You saw he was distressed and mute. Out of charity, you granted him sanctuary until you could find out what was wrong." Murata added smoothly.

Yuuri was skeptical. "Do you think they'll buy that?"

Murata shrugged. "We can certainly hope so."

Yuuri groaned. "What have a gotten myself into?"

Murata smirked. "You've been bewitched by a mermaid's spell!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram stirred in his sleep. He opened his eyes to see a strange canopy above him. It was dark and decorated lavishly with gold designs. He turned his head slowly to the side to look out the window. There was nothing but a pale gray color beyond the glass; the sky was cloudy from an oncoming storm. Wolfram could smell the rainwater in the air that seeped through the partially opened windowpane. He tried to sit up but realized that something was wrong when he tried to move his tail.

Wolfram looked down at his body in horror at the two strange things where his tail used to be. Instead of his lovely gold, purple, and blue scales, he had two ugly human legs! They were pale, skinny, and uncovered by very fine, nearly invisible but just as unsightly, blonde hairs.

In a mix of horror and awe, Wolfram reached down to feel his new legs. He missed the hard and smooth scales as he pinched and pressed down into the soft skin. They felt like dolphin flesh stretched over big sticks. He no longer had the rib-like bones that made his tail flexible and whip-like, now he had two big sticks that only bent in the middle – absolutely useless for swimming and fighting!

"You're awake!"

Yuuri and Eye-circles approached the side of the big soft thing Wolfram was lying on. Wolfram tried to back away from them only to fall onto his back clumsily when his hands and the ends of the sticks now attached to his body got caught in the soft materials. He shot an accusing stare at both humans, which made them immediately back up.

"Hey! Hey, it's alright, Wolfram," Yuuri said gently. "We're just glad you're okay."

"What have you done with my tail?!" Wolfram shouted. "What are these things coming out of my waist? I want my tail back!"

Yuuri blinked stupidly for a second before realizing what Wolfram was talking about. "Those are called legs. They help you walk."

"What's 'walk'?" Wolfram snapped.

Yuuri stared at him for a moment. "It's….how humans get around. That's what we call it when we move our legs to go somewhere. Walking."

"I don't want wah-king!" Wolfram cried, slamming his fists against the soft bed. "I want my tail!"

"And we'll try to figure out a way to get it back!" Yuuri said hurriedly in an attempt to calm Wolfram down.

"How?" Eye-circles asked skeptically, after finally being able to tear his eyes away from Wolfram's perfect legs.

"We'll figure it out!" Yuuri snapped. "Stop gawking at my merman!"

Not even stopping to realize what he said or the shocked expression on Murata's face, Yuuri placed his hand on Wolfram's shoulder only to be momentarily distracted by the soft scaleless skin.

"Don't be scared, Wolfram," Yuuri said soothingly, trying to focus on the distraught merman and not the softness of his skin. "We're here to help you. We can figure this out together. You can trust me. I'm your friend."

Wolfram met the dark gaze of the human prince. His instincts yelled at him to not place his faith in these disgraceful humans. They were, and would continue to be, his greatest enemy. No matter how charming or kind hearted this one human was, it didn't change the fact that his people would want to see Wolfram dead and strung up by his gills.

But the sweet smile and endearing eyes of the human Yuuri softened Wolfram. He slowly relaxed under the comforting touch. There was nothing to be afraid of and Wolfram felt that he could lower his hackles around Yuuri.

This earned him a relieved smile from Yuuri. "You have great legs by the way," He said breathlessly.

Both Yuuri and Wolfram paused awkwardly. The eye-circles human snorted and stifled a laugh behind his hands. The moment was ruined by Yuuri's careless remark and left both man and merman blushing and mute.

"Thank…you." Wolfram muttered after an long silence.

"Well, um….yeah…they are…" Yuuri stammered and then quickly let go of Wolfram's shoulder. He clapped his hands together in an over-the-top show of gung-ho-ness and promptly changed the subject.

"Okay….." said Eye-circles, clearly not keeping up with their conversation of chirps and clicks.

"Well, then!" He said somewhat breathlessly. "Why don't we try out your new legs?"

Wolfram remained still and unsure. He was sitting up just fine, but his legs were still pressed together in a ghost of what they used to be. Every time he moved them, it was always I unison and he had observed enough human behavior to know that they moved their legs independently of each other.

"Come on, take my hands!" Yuuri said cheerfully, backing away from the side of the bed and extending his arms like a parent reaching for an infant.

Wolfram stared at the offered hands. He shot a glance up at Eye-circles, who was simply watching the entire scene with an amused smile on his face.

Yuuri beckoned Wolfram with a curve of his fingers. Wolfram frowned a little, not liking to be coerced into anything. But Yuuri's gentle smile remained firmly on his face and his arms remained outstretched to the merman.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * *

How do you teach someone how to walk?

That was the question running through Yuuri's mind as the merman finally grabbed his hands and he slowly tried to pull the creature into a standing position. At first, Wolfram just let Yuuri drag him from the bed, not at all helping the prince to carry his weight. Wolfram grunted in discomfort and shot an annoyed glance up at the prince. Yuuri chuckled nervously as he retook Wolfram's hands and tried to explain the mechanics of walking.

"You have to push yourself up from the bed and straighten your legs," He said as he pulled Wolfram up onto his feet.

"How?" Wolfram asked, just sitting at the very edge of the bed.

"Well….um…." Yuuri thought for a moment. "Put your feet on the floor."

Wolfram just sat there.

"These things…" Yuuri pointed to the strange bent flat things where Wolfram's fin used to be. "Those are feet."

Wolfram carefully placed his "feet" on the ground. He shivered a little at the cold wooden floor and waited for further instruction.

"Great!" Yuuri smiled. "Now straighten your legs."

"How?" Wolfram said again.

Yuuri heard Murata snort behind him. "Feel free to step in at any time, Murata!"

"No, I think you're doing just fine," Murata smirked, stifling a chuckle. "This is too funny."

Yuuri sighed and turned his attention back to the lesson. "Here, let me help you."

Ignoring the startled yelp from Wolfram, Yuuri placed his hand underneath Wolfram's armpits and with a grunt lifted the merman onto his feet.

"Push against the floor with your feet!" Yuuri wheezed, realizing he should have used a different holding technique. He lifted Wolfram like his nursemaid used to pick him up as a toddler. However, there was a significant difference between a toddler and a grown human. "Or I'll drop you!"

He felt Wolfram stiffen under his grasp. "Don't do that!"

"Then grab my shoulders!" Yuuri hissed under the pressure. He was relieved when Wolfram placed his hands on Yuuri's shoulders and their weight was distributed more evenly. "Now push on the floor with your feet and make your legs straight."

Wolfram did as he was told and he shakily locked his knees and was able to stand with Yuuri's help.

Yuuri absently noted that Wolfram was the same height as he was. He was also struck, yet again, by Wolfram's bright green eyes. Yuuri just couldn't look away when he was confronted by Wolfram's gaze. He stared openly at the cherubic face of his new friend and found himself unable to speak once again.

Wolfram in turn just looked back at Yuuri with mild confusion and curiosity. He didn't say a word and only waited for Yuuri to say what he should do next. Yuuri had never felt such an intense attraction to another human being and it both intrigued and unnerved him.

An awkward cough from behind him alerted Yuuri to his rude staring.

"Can you stop ogling at him for two seconds?" Murata scolded lightly with a knowing grin on his face. "You're being very creepy, Shibuya."

"Yeah...right…" Yuuri coughed. He really needed to get a hold of himself.

Putting on his best professional face, Yuuri instructed Wolfram to take his first step. The merman hesitated at first, but tried his best to make his feet move independently.

Learning to walk like the humans proved to be more difficult than they had assumed. Yuuri and Murata had to explain and teach a concept so instinctive to their own lives that it was akin to explaining the color blue to a blind man. It was near impossible to convey a skill that they had learned before they could talk. They both fumbled and stumbled over how to explain the most basic form of movement to someone who had never heard of such a thing.

Wolfram in turn, frowned and growled in confusion whenever he would trip over a rug or forget which foot to move. He was having difficulty getting his legs to move autonomously from each other. This caused him to have a strange skip-hop to his gait that often ended in him falling into Yuuri's waiting arms, which made both of them blush.

After a couple of hours of stumbling, Wolfram finally got the hang of alternating his feet and was slowly walking in a big circle around the room with Yuuri's help. An hour later and he was walking on his own without much trouble. He couldn't help but smile at the proud and elated expression on Yuuri's face when he walked across the room with arms extended for balance unaided.

Murata cracked a joke about Wolfram being smarter than a baby, which made Yuuri giggle and Wolfram smile shyly. He had grown used to the other human's presence and was visibly relaxed around both of them.

It was nice to Yuuri that Wolfram seemed to shed the air of a cold hunter and place his trust in him. He felt protective of his new friend and took great pleasure in seeing him happy. The few times when Wolfram smiled it filled Yuuri with joy and when the merman would engage in small conversations here and there, Yuuri just right beamed.

"You're doing great, Wolfram!" Yuuri grinned when Wolfram had made it to the other side. He was rewarded for his praise with a small smile and a nod.

"Thank you," the merman whispered. Wolfram had started out confused and frustrated when he took his first steps, but now he was moving with relative ease and Yuuri was sure he would master the art of walking by the morrow.

"You're wonderful," Yuuri breathed. He frowned when Murata let loose another round of giggles. He shot a hard glance at his friend who only smiled and whispered.

"Someone has a crush!" Murata sang.

Yuuri was about to retort when the grandfather clock beside his wardrobe struck five o'clock. The prince cursed under his breath when he realized that they had walked away the time.

"Dinner time already?" He said in surprise.

"Good thing you didn't have lessons today," Murata said.

"Yeah," Yuuri nodded. "Thank Great One for Master Gunter's allergies."

"You remember the story we came up with?" Murata asked.

"What story?" Yuuri said as he helped Wolfram sit back on the bed. The merman had grown tired and was leaning heavily into Yuuri.

Murata sighed. "The one about Wolfram being a foundling who sought sanctuary."

"Oh yeah," Yuuri remembered. He couldn't help but giggle when Wolfram sniffed at his nightclothes and sneezed.

Murata rolled his eyes. "Oh my god, you're infatuated! It's almost sad to watch! You've totally been caught by a mermaid's spell!"

"Am not!" Yuuri pouted, though the blush on his face told otherwise. "He's just….really interesting."

"I bet," Murata drawled. "We need to find him some proper clothes."

"Why?" Yuuri rather liked how Wolfram looked in his old pajamas. He was adorable.

"Well, we can't present him in front of your father in your clothes. Imagine the implications."

"What impl-ooohhh!" Yuuri realized that showing Wolfram in his clothes would cause a scandal and thousands of rumors. The castle staff was notorious for their obsession with the love lives of the nobility especially the two young and handsome princes.

"Yeah," Murata said knowingly. "I have some old clothes that he can borrow. Let me go fetch them."

A few minutes later, Murata brought a pair of trousers, a blue vest and a white dress shirt from his boxes of old clothes. Ever since he had entered his Sage training, he had ceased to wear the every day clothing of a nobleman's son and instead wore the black garb of the Daikenja, the only other person able to wear black other than the royal family.

Wolfram made it very clear that he didn't care for the much more confined clothing. Yuuri related to Murata that Wolfram found the material itchy and tight and he wanted the pajamas back. With some coaxing, they were able to get the trousers and shirt on Wolfram followed by the vest, ignoring the pouting merman.

When they were done, Wolfram was indistinguishable from any other human being. He looked like he could easily have been a wealthy merchant's son or a young soldier at the military academy. He stood straight and dignified in his new garb and would no doubt charm every female in the castle.

"He looks great!" Murata said just as someone knocked on the bedroom door.

"Good evening, Your Majesty!" came the voice of Yuuri's bodyguard and closest confidante, Conrad. "I am here to fetch you for dinner."

"Uh, sure, Conrad!" Yuuri called out. "And call me Yuuri, please! You may enter!"

"What are you doing?" Murata hissed.

"He's gonna find out eventually. He could help us," Yuuri whispered back.

The door opened to reveal a handsome soldier with a gentle smile on his face. Yuuri felt Wolfram's curious stare from behind him as Conrad entered into the prince's bedroom and greeted them with a shallow bow.

"Prince Yuuri, may I ask who is this?" Conrad said in surprise when he noticed the blonde youth standing tensely behind Yuuri.

"Conrad," Yuuri said with as much confidence as he could. "This is Wolfram. He's a mute foundling that I rescued."

"A foundling?" Conrad repeated. "Where did you find him?"

"He was collapsed on the beach," Yuuri lied; glad that he could remember the basics of their cover story. "I felt sorry for him, so I granted him sanctuary. I made him a ward of the royal family."

"You granted him sanctuary?" Conrad said incredulously. It came as a shock that Yuuri would make such a declaration without his father's approval. "You know of that law?"

"I do pay attention in class, Conrad," Yuuri said indignantly.

"But – excuse my prying – what will your father the king say?" Conrad suddenly looked worried. He had often been the sounding board for Yuuri's frequent tangents about his strained relationship with his father.

"Well… I'm sure he will understand, since he's such a supporter of the laws and the duties of the royal family," Yuuri said smoothly, though he was breaking into a cold sweat just thinking of explaining this to his father.

"Very well then, Yuuri. I trust your judgment," Conrad said, though it was very clear he was doubtful of his charge's actions.

"Thanks," Yuuri chirped and led Wolfram out of the door, Conrad and Murata falling inline behind him as court etiquette dictated.

Yuuri placed a comforting arm around Wolfram and whispered into his ear. "Don't worry, Conrad is a friend. You don't need to be afraid of him."

"What did you say, Prince Yuuri?" Conrad asked in shock.

"Um, what?" Yuuri said nervously. He had forgotten that while he thought he was speaking Common to Wolfram, that it sounded like chirping to others.

"You made the oddest noises into his ear!" Conrad stared wide-eyed at the two. "What is going on?"

"You're obviously hearing things, Conrad," Yuuri said dismissively. "I just told Wolfram where we were going. Nothing weird at all."

Conrad said nothing, but looked to Murata for any clarification. The young sage just shrugged and they continued to walk in silence.

"Now, listen to me," Yuuri whispered even lower so that Conrad wouldn't hear. "We're going to have dinner with my family. No one can understand you but me, so no matter what, don't make any noise!"

Wolfram gulped and nodded nervously, ensure of what awaited him at this "dinner."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

The dining room was brightly lit to showcase the grand spread that was laid on the table. Even though it was only a half dozen people or so to be dining that evening, the servants still went out of their way to create a meal to be hold.

The King sat at the head of the table, flanked by Queen Miko and Shouri, whose eyes went as big as dinner plates when he saw Wolfram enter. He opened his mouth to say something, but a pleading glance from his younger brother quieted him, but he gave Yuuri a look that said 'we will talk about this later.'

Yuuri kept his gait casual as he ignored the looks of surprise from his parents and the Daikenja as he calmly helped Wolfram into the seat next to his.

King Shouma was the first to recover from shock. "Second Prince Yuuri! What is the meaning of this!?"

"Um…Father," Yuuri began with a croak. He cleared his voice and tried to speak again. "Father, this is Wolfram. I found him collapsed on the beach earlier today."

Yuuri didn't miss the crossly raised eyebrow on Shouri's face. He kept himself steady and confidant as he waited for his father's reaction.

"Yuuri, you can't just bring commoners into the castle!" Shouma exclaimed. "You have no idea where he's been!"

Yuuri didn't like the implication that Wolfram was a dirty thing or stray animal off the street.

"Actually, father, I do know where he's been," Yuuri explained. "I came across him while I was walking on the beach. He was near hysterical, so I brought him back to the palace to have our doctors look at him. He's just a lost kid, Dad."

"You don't know him, Yuuri!" Shouma protested. "He could be a thief or a spy for our enemies!"

"I highly doubt that, Dad," Yuuri said with just a tinge of annoyance. Really, when did his father become so paranoid?

"Really, Yuuri!" Shouma sighed in frustration. "Don't you ever think anything through?"

Yuuri frowned. "I granted him sanctuary and made him a ward of the royal family."

This was too much for King Shouma. "Yuuri, how could you? Granting sanctuary to a commoner?! You can't do that! If our other subjects find out we'll be overrun by the morning!"

"He won't leave the palace, Dad!" Yuuri pleaded. "I'll take care of him. No one knows of the law because it was removed from the public codex, remember?"

"But if others see him they will think they can ask for sanctuary as well!" Shouma said collapsing back into his seat in frustrated exhaustion.

"Then what would you have me do, Dad?' Yuuri asked angrily. "As a prince, don't I have a duty to care and protect my subjects? Even if it's just one person?"

"I would have you consult me first before opening our doors to some vagabond!" Shouma protested.

"I couldn't, Dad," Yuuri retorted. "Not when he was clearly upset and lost. He might've been sick or hurt! I just couldn't leave him! What kind of message would I be sending to our people if I couldn't even show compassion to one person?"

"We are to act as examples to our subjects," The king said. "We are the pillar of Shin Makoku, a direct line from the Greta One himself! We can't consort with common folk. They won't learn to respect and fear us if we lower ourselves to their level! They will become needy and demanding if we give them too much leniency!"

"Then what's the point of being a prince or king?" Yuuri asked. "The way I see it, my title is meaningless if I can't use it to better the lives of others! The people are needy because they rely on us to protect them and provide for them!"

"Oh, Yuuri!" Shouma huffed. "When will you stop being so naïve?"

"Shouma, dear," Miko interjected softly. "Yuuri does have a point. We want to encourage good will among our subjects, don't we? I don't see it doing any harm to let the youth stay for just a little while, especially if he's in trouble."

"She is right, your Majesty," The Daikenja chimed in. "This would be a good opportunity to show the people what a benevolent king you are. After all, our relations with the common folk have been strained as of late. This could help us win their trust. Prince Yuuri is quite popular with the commoners. If you let him keep the boy for a short time, it will reflect positively on you as well."

Shouma waved off their words. "This goes against every sense of propriety! Do you even know who this boy is and where he's from?"

"His name is Wolfram," Yuuri repeated. "I don't know where he came from. He's a mute."

"Then how do you know his name?"

"He…spelled it for me," Yuuri replied.

"The common folk can write now?" Shouma said disbelievingly.

"Just because they're poor, doesn't make them stupid, Dad!" Yuuri huffed.

King Shouma gave a long suffering sigh and irritably waved his acquiescence to his youngest son's antics. He really had no idea how to handle his son anymore. No matter what he said, Yuuri always took offense to it and was always itching to bicker incessantly with his parents. He secretly blamed Miko for her indulgence of the boy's more intrusive eccentricities and her lack of resolve when disciplining their youngest child. How many times had Yuuri brought home a stray dog or cat? Once, he even tried to bring home an old and sick donkey that some farmer had meant to put out of its misery, but Yuuri refused to see an "innocent" animal put to death. Yuuri would never survive in politics if he didn't harden himself.

And now, Yuuri was bringing home stray humans. Though, very beautiful humans. If it weren't for his vexation with his son, Shouma would very likely be caught gawking at the lovely youth seated beside his son. He had almost thought this Wolfram fellow to be a girl until Yuuri introduced him. He could see where his son had been charmed by the foundling's unnatural beauty.

The Daikenja's words repeated themselves in Shouma's head. He really didn't want to start a habit of taking in random strangers. It wasn't that he was cold-hearted, it was just that he feared being overrun with entitled folks who thought they were owed by the king or worse; those that would abuse this law simply for their own pettiness. Runaway pregnant teens and juvenile delinquents came to mind along with those who entertained thoughts of being taken into the palace and "falling in love" with one of the princes. However, he couldn't deny that the gesture would appeal the royals to the common folk and strengthen ties among the people. A little reputation boost could work in their favor. After all, as long as the subjects were happy, they were quiet, and that meant Shouma could devote his time to more interesting things, like waiting for Dai Cimarron to make good on their threat of invasion.

After a long pause, Shouma finally gave in.

"Very well! Keep the boy! But he will not lounge about! But when he is able, he will be given a job in the castle and earn his keep." Shouma's tone left no room for argument.

Yuuri visibly relaxed in his seat and beamed. "Thanks, Dad! You won't regret this!"

"I had better not!" Shouma said, picking at his neglected food. He was pleased to find that it hadn't lost all of its heat. Small blessings. "But remember, Yuuri! This isn't some lost puppy on the street! This is a human being and that makes this an entirely different endeavor! You are solely responsible for him and if he acts up in anyway he will be cast out. No arguments, no questions. Understood?"

"Yes, Father," Yuuri said in the formal tongue. But he didn't bother to suppress the grin. He reached under the table to squeeze Wolfram's hand. The merman merely looked up at him curiously, but didn't speak as per Yuuri's instructions. Yuuri hoped that his smile would be enough to convey that Wolfram was now a member of the royal household and would never want for anything as long as he lived.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram watched the humans settle down and begin to eat the strange smelling and strange looking foods. He looked down at his own plate and crinkled his nose at the offered food. He didn't recognize anything and none of it looked particularly appetizing. First of all, it was all far too hot! He could see the steam rising up from the pile of food and wondered if Yuuri had remembered that he was sensitive to heat.

He held his hand over the food. Almost immediately, his palm went clammy from the steam rising up from the odd assortment of human foods. Yes, definitely too hot. His insides would burn!

He looked to Yuuri for guidance, but the prince was turned away from him, engaged in conversation with the other humans, which Wolfram deemed to be his clan. Their words sounded like obnoxious gibberish and Wolfram quickly tuned them out and continued to poke curiously at his food.

To make matters even more confusing, it appeared that these humans didn't use their hands to eat! They were picking and tearing at their food with strange little sticks. One was sharp and skinny that they were using to cut their food into smaller pieces and the other ended in three little prongs that they stabbed the food with to lift to their mouths. Wolfram looked down at his plate and despaired when he saw that he had at least a half dozen pointy sticks and pronged sticks to choose from.

Wolfram couldn't help but find the entire process cumbersome. It would be far more efficient if they cut their food up prior and used their hands to pick it up. What a waste of time to cut up the food and then use little sticks to pick up the food when they all had perfectly working hands! It seemed like so much more work.

Noticing that some of the others were giving him odd looks, Wolfram decided to at least attempt to dine with his new companions. He really wanted to just go back to Yuuri's room and sleep, maybe ask Yuuri to bring him another fish. But, he understood the need to blend in, so he choose a random pointy stick and pronged stick and tried to eat the odd food with the sticks.

After about ten minutes of food falling from his sticks before reaching his widely opened mouth, Wolfram quickly began to loose patience. The food was slippery and covered in some strange goo that made it hard to pick it up. Wolfram tried several times to get the food to stay on the three pronged stick, but to no avail and the pointy stick wasn't nearly sharp enough to cut through the tough brown slab on his plate.

He was so engrossed with his futile attempts that he didn't notice the stares directed his way from the table's other occupants.

Yuuri cringed every time Wolfram failed to get any food in his mouth. The merman had made quite a mess around his plate – as bad as any toddler – with no sign of success at eating. He tried a couple of times to subtly show Wolfram how to eat without speaking to him by making a show of how he ate and then repositioning Wolfram's hands accordingly. However, Wolfram was so annoyed and fed up with it all that he irritably pushed Yuuri away and continued to stab and poke at the food, while Yuuri felt the drilling gaze of his parents on them.

Both King Shouma and Queen Miko were beginning to question the sanity of their new guest and their decision to let him stay indefinitely. The boy was pretty to behold, but his mannerisms were that of an uncivilized person. Even the common folk knew how to eat! They watched in fascinated disgust – and concern on Miko's part – as the boy struggled to eat properly.

'Maybe, he is ill…' Miko thought as she watched her son try to correct the boy.

'Why did I agree to let him stay?' Shouma grumbled inwardly, images of their palace being turned into an asylum dancing across his imagination.

'Yuuri, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?' Shouri thought in frustration.

Finally, hungry and ticked, Wolfram lost all patience and threw the utensils down and began to eat his food with his fingers, ignoring the soft gasps and disapproving expressions from everyone around him.

"Um, Wolfram?" Yuuri whispered as quietly as he could. He couldn't tell when he slipped into Wolfram's tongue so he kept his voice as low as possible to avoid alerting his family. "You need to use your fork and knife!"

"I don't want to!" Wolfram snapped, just as quiet. For emphasis, he stuck two gravy covered fingers into his mouth and sucked them clean.

"Great One, Wolfram! You can't eat like that!" Yuuri whispered frantically, looking back at his disgusted parents.

"Why not?" Wolfram pouted, but he stopped eating and rubbed his hands on his pants.

"My parents are the king and queen!" Yuuri explained. "You're being very rude!"

"What's a keeng-un-kween?" Wolfram asked.

"My parents who will kick you out if you don't stop making a bad impression!" Yuuri hissed.

This seemed to get through to Wolfram. "Oh….what should I do?"

Yuuri was about to answer when his father spoke up.

"Yuuri, just where did you find this person?" Shouma said indignantly. "He behaves as if he's been raised by wolves!"

"Is he one of those mentally incapacitated people?" Miko asked carefully. "Perhaps, it would be best to have him committed?"

"No, I won't let you commit him to an asylum!" Yuuri had visited an asylum once in his life and it was simply a terrible place where people dumped their unwanted relatives. He wouldn't wish that fate on his worst enemies.

"They might be better equipped to help him, though," His mother suggested.

"No, I'm taking care of Wolfram and that's that!" Yuuri stated.

Since the situation was unsalvageable, Yuuri stood up from his seat and pulled Wolfram up with him.

"Well, it's been a very long day and I'm sure Wolfram is tired. We're going to my room until the maids set up the guest bedroom."

"Those rooms are reserved for the dignified aristocratic guests of the king!" Shouma protested.

Yuuri gritted his teeth. He really didn't have the energy to fight his father on every little thing.

"Fine! I'll have the servants clear out the storage room across the hall from my bedroom! I know we have spare furniture in the storage rooms in the basement."

Not waiting for another word, Yuuri lead Wolfram out of the room with a clipped order to a maid to have some food brought to them later – and to make sure it was fish!

Yuuri was so intent on getting Wolfram out of sight of his parents, that he didn't hear Shouri excuse himself from the table and quickly follow after them.

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Chapter 5!

Whoo! I got this chapter finished right before I head out to work!

I hope you all enjoyed this new installment of Syrena. I started to work on this one because I needed a break from writing my much more serious fic THYS – chapter 21 will be out soon!

I understand that Shouma and Miko are OOC in this fic. I really hate to do that to them. They're a generally nice couple in the anime, but I needed someone to create tension for our couple and they drew the short straw in that regard. But don't worry, Miko will come around and we'll get to see her usual cheery openness that we all love. Even Shouma might go soft for our lovable merman Wolfram!

Please leave a review. They are a huge help and encouragement to me.


	6. Chapter 6

Syrena Chapter 6

Thank you so much for your reviews! I'm so glad you are all enjoying this story! I really appreciate your reviews! They mean a lot to me.

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Syrena Chapter 6 – Land Lubbers

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Yuuri practically threw poor Wolfram into his room. He stuck his head out momentarily to bark at a passing maid to ready the small storage room across the hall into a bedroom for his new guest. The maid nodded nervously, unaccustomed to her nicest master being so short with her and scurried off to find some strong soldiers to help her move all the junk and replace it with bedroom furniture.

"That was awful!" Yuuri panted before collapsing onto the bed next to Wolfram.

"Yuuri, I'm still hungry," Wolfram stated from his spot on the bed.

"I bet!" Yuuri exclaimed. "Half of your food was on the table! How does your kind eat anyway?"

Wolfram huffed and crossed his arms. "Well, most of my food is still alive and wriggling when I eat it! Those stick things are totally impractical!"

"They're called forks and knives," Yuuri explained. He was sure his parents were discussing ways they could get rid of Wolfram without him knowing. He would have to make sure Wolfram never left his sight from now on.

"Why do you need so many just to eat?' Wolfram asked irritably.

"Well….I don't know…" Yuuri said after thinking on it for a moment. "That's just how it is! It's etiquette."

"What's etta-keht?"

"It's…manners…" Yuuri replied. "There's a certain way you're supposed to behave in front of people – especially in front of the king and queen of Shin Makoku!"

"It sounds stupid to me," Wolfram sniffed. "A lot of fuss over just eating! And I'm still hungry!"

"I heard you the first time!" Yuuri retorted. He was starting to suspect that under that adorable face was a spoiled brat.

"I want another fish." Wolfram said, pointing to the door. "Or take me to the ocean so I can get one myself!"

Now even though Yuuri was the least entitled royal to ever exist, he was still not used to someone so bluntly bossing him around with no regard for propriety. It was odd…and with Wolfram's up-turned nose, a little annoying.

"Try 'I want another fish, please'," Yuuri corrected.

Wolfram blinked and then half-heartedly acquiesced. "Bring me a fish, please."

Thinking that was the best he was going to get so far, Yuuri sighed and made to go find Wolfram something to eat when a violent knock startled both prince and merman.

Yuuri didn't even have time to say 'who is it?' before Shouri threw the door open and rushed in, panting and looking rather upset.

Yuuri tried very hard not to curse the heavens for his bad luck. The last thing he needed right now was Shouri's meddling.

"Shouri, what-"

"Just what on earth do you think you're doing?!" Shouri shouted. "You brought a wild animal to a dinner with our parents?! And what happened to his tail?! What sorcery is this, Yuuri!?"

Yuuri frantically waved his hands to calm Shouri down. "Shut up, Shouri! People will hear you!"

"They need to hear me!" Shouri retorted, not calming down at all. "We have a wild and dangerous merman in our castle and you're hiding him!"

"I have it under control," Yuuri said dismissively, though that sentiment remained to be seen.

"No, you don't!" Shouri called his bluff. "This has gone too far, Yuuri! It needs to go back where you found it!"

"Wolfram isn't going anywhere!" Yuuri exclaimed, instinctively placing himself between Shouri and the increasingly agitated Wolfram. "He is staying here. Mom and Dad already said he could!"

"That doesn't count! They don't know what he is! If Father knew he would never agree to have that thing here!"

"He has a name, Shouri. Weren't you paying attention?" Yuuri hissed. He was really getting irritated with everyone referring to Wolfram like he was some dumb animal. He just needed a lesson in table manners is all.

"You think I care if it has a name or not?" Shouri sneered, letting his irritation with his dense younger brother dictate his words. "It's a goddamned merman! You and I kill these things on a regular basis! And- and how did it even grow legs to begin with!?"

Yuuri stumbled for a moment and then came up with some heavily edited version of what had transpired, wisely leaving out the part about feeding Wolfram his blood. Shouri listened with barely contained vexation and as soon as Yuuri was finished, he let loose a terrible rant.

"Of all the harebrained, stupid, reckless, immature and dangerous things you have ever done in your life, this has got to be the winner!" Shouri exclaimed, red-faced. "You've brought a dangerous animal into our palace and through some magic it grew legs? This makes it even more worrisome! No merfolk has ever grown legs of its own accord!"

Yuuri immediately sensed Wolfram tensing behind him. He cast a glance at the merman who was still sitting on the bed, but his knuckles were white from gripping the edge. Every muscle was taut and prepared to attack or flee. Wolfram's bright eyes darted between Yuuri and Shouri, waiting for their spat to turn violent. Yuuri gave a slight smile and patted the air in front of Wolfram in a gesture that was meant to signal that everything was safe, but it only made Wolfram give a low hiss.

"It's not staying here, Yuuri. Either you get rid of it or I will!" Shouri threatened, taking Wolfram's hostile stance as proof enough that he was dangerous.

"You're not taking him anywhere!" Yuuri stated.

"What has gotten into you?" Shouri said in pure frustration. "You've never done anything like this before!"

What_ had_ gotten into him? Yuuri had never been this inclined to rebel against just about everything he had been taught his entire life. Before, he had been content to live his boring life and had resigned himself to being a marriage prospect to please his father's alliances. Yuuri never had any ambitions of his own, no purpose, no life. But now, it was different. He knew that when he glanced back over his shoulder to the fiery little merman seated behind him.

"Wolfram isn't dangerous," Yuuri said after a thoughtful pause. "I'm going to prove that. I'm going to teach him how to live with us and show that merpeople are not the violent enemies we think they are!"

Shouri was aghast. He threw up his arms in defeat. "Are you serious? You really think that's going to work? It's a wild animal, Yuuri! You might as well train a shark!"

"Wolfram's much smarter and better than a shark!" Yuuri protested. "He'll fit right in as long as you don't blow the lid on this whole thing like you're trying to do right now!"

"As well I should!" Shouri stated. "I have a half-mind to go and tell Mother and Father the truth this instant!"

"No, you won't," Yuuri said through gritted teeth. His eyes narrowed dangerously.

Without a single word, tone, or gesture, Shouri immediately caught on to what Yuuri was insinuating simply by the glare thrown his way.

"Yuuri, don't you dare bring _that_ into this!" Shouri hissed.

"You promised!" Yuuri cried. "We keep each other's secrets!"

Seeing the impossible impasse they had, Shouri changed tactics. He went from demanding to pleading.

"Yuuri, what you are doing is madness! It's dangerous! They will find out eventually and then what will you do? You won't be able to protect him! You won't be able to protect yourself from Father's wrath!" Shouri just about begged of his younger brother.

"Shouri, no one is going to find out! Father has already let Wolfram stay. All I have to do is teach Wolfram how to be civilized. And even if Dad finds out, once he sees how peaceful Wolfram is he won't mind! He'll see that merpeople aren't dumb creatures!" It was a tall order, But Yuuri was determined to show that Wolfram was as smart and docile as any other person.

Shouri looked like he was just about ready to strangle his little brother. He managed to calm himself and pointed a threatening finger at the second prince.

"This will backfire, Yuuri," Shouri warned. "Don't forget that this is a wild animal. You cannot erase his nature anymore than he can erase yours! Train him all you want but at the end of the day, he is a deadly hunter. His ilk and our kind are natural enemies."

Before Shouri finished his speech, Yuuri was already shaking his head no.

"I know we've been fighting them for forever, but don't you ever feel like it's for nothing? Have we ever tried to work things out with them? I can prove that Merfolk aren't bad! I just need you to give me a chance!"

Shouri gave Yuuri a look that was a mix of frustration and pity.

"Yuuri, you will never get anywhere in life as long as you hold to these naïve sentiments! Not every problem can be fixed with talking and compassion. You will be seen as weak. That's not a quality you want to have as a royal!"

"I can prove there's another way," Yuuri said emphatically. "I just need you to back me up on this…"

Shouri was quiet for a long time. He seemed to struggle between telling their parents and letting Yuuri keep the creature. He had promised to keep his brother's secrets, but that was before he knew mermaids could grow legs. The creature had obviously bewitched his little brother and Shouri would ensure that this creature didn't take advantage of his brother. For all their fights and spat, Shouri cared for Yuuri and could never really say no when his brother gave him those big pleading eyes.

Besides, Shouri would be a hypocrite to deny his brother this. He had his own sins that Yuuri had never failed to keep away from their father.

Shouri heaved a great sigh and slumped his shoulders. Seeing his victory, Yuuri smiled at him, but Shouri just frowned.

"I will let this slide, Yuuri," Shouri said. "But! And this is a huge _but_ – if Wolfram fails to prove he can act civilized then I will have him put out. If he attacks anyone or if Father finds out the truth, I cannot and _will not_ help you. Understand?"

Knowing that it was the best he would get, Yuuri solemnly nodded his head. "Yes, Shouri. And I promise you won't regret this."

Shouri just shrugged and shook his head. He made to leave Yuuri's bedroom – luckily, he had closed the door behind him, effectively muting their heated exchange. Any passing staff would have just chalked it up to one of their frequent petty arguments.

"Shouri?"

Shouri turned around at his brother's call. Yuuri was looking at him with an unreadable expression – unusual for his emotive little brother.

"Tell Emile I said hello…"

It was a cordial gesture, but Shouri could hear a multitude of meanings underneath the seemingly innocent request – understanding, sympathy, and a hidden threat should he ever go back on his word.

"I shall…" Shouri whispered and left very quickly.

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Yuuri finished dressing himself for bed. Every muscle in his body ached for some inexplicable reason and he was about ready to just collapse. More had happened in the span of a single day than had ever happened in his young life. Yuuri could say he was thoroughly exhausted.

However, Wolframs sat cheerily on Yuuri's bedroom floor eating the sushi Yuuri had the maid bring up for him. It would have been suspect for Yuuri to ask for a live fish, so he went with the next best thing and requested a type of cuisine from the Orient that he was sure Wolfram would like.

And much to his relief, Wolfram enjoyed the large and elaborate sushi platter. Yuuri would forever be grateful that his mother had taken a liking to the style of seafood thanks to a diplomatic trip years ago and had brought back a trained chef with her. Wolfram happily picked apart the rolls, eating the black seaweed and raw fish filets until there was a pile of white rice on his plate.

"You like it?" Yuuri asked with a chuckle.

Wolfram nodded and swallowed a huge hunk of salmon sashimi. "It's good. But I don't know what this white stuff is."

"It's called rice," Yuuri clarified, sitting next to Wolfram on the floor. He didn't want sushi bits in his bed so he instructed the merman to eat on the rug by the small fireplace.

"It's weird," Wolfram stated and finished off the rest of his food. "More?"

"Not tonight," Yuuri said, pulling Wolfram up and placing the plate outside his bedroom for the maid to get in the morning. "The kitchen staff needs their sleep too. Just like us."

On cue, Wolfram yawned. "But I want more salmon!"

"You'll have salmon tomorrow. Nice and fresh," Yuuri promised. "Now put on these pajamas. You're staying with me tonight until we get your room ready."

Yuuri hoped that Wolfram wouldn't notice the soft blush on his cheeks when he stated they were sharing a bed. Yuuri hadn't been in a bed with another person since he was young and would sneak into his parent's room at night.

The fearful part of Yuuri hoped that Wolfram wouldn't try to kill him in his sleep and then he berated himself for the runaway thought. Wolfram wouldn't hurt him. If he wanted to, he would have done it already. Right now, Wolfram seemed more interested in putting on his own pajamas himself than committing murder. Yuuri stood back as Wolfram slowly dressed himself quite well. The merman was proving to be a fast learner. Yuuri was confident he would acclimate himself to palace life in no time at all with his and Murata's assistance.

A sudden thunderclap tore through the amicable silence that had fallen between the two. Both Yuuri and Wolfram startled at the loud noise that sounded as if it was right outside the inky black window. Wolfram's eyes went as big as dinner plates went the thunder was followed by a white streak of lightening that lit up the window pane.

"Well, spring is upon us," Yuuri stated. "We get a lot of storms and sometimes hurricanes."

"Are they dangerous?" Wolfram asked, worriedly watching the bright display of lights across the night sky.

"No, not at all!" Yuuri assured him. "They're just bright and loud. But they bring rain and we need it for the crops."

Wolfram didn't know what crops were, but Yuuri's relaxed nature calmed him a little. Curiosity overrode his fear and he slowly walked towards the huge window and sat down on the sill to get a better look at this new discovery.

"We always go deep under water when there's a storm," Wolfram said absently. "We see the lights, but everything is quiet. You can watch the waves churn the water from below. It's safer."

"That sounds really fascinating," Yuuri whispered, taking a seat next to Wolfram. They watched the storm for a while, just taking in the magnificent display of nature. Yuuri offhandedly mentioned that this storm was particularly vicious for being this early in the season and that Shin Makoku storms were notorious for being sudden and unpredictable.

"I like storms," Wolfram said quietly. The storm outside was picking up in intensity and the violent patter of rain began to pound away at the glass. "I would watch from the caves but was never allowed to see them from the surface. This is amazing."

"I liked to watch them too," Yuuri subconsciously snuggled up closer to Wolfram. "Especially at night. I was born during a hurricane."

"You were?" Wolfram turned away from the storm to look at Yuuri with renewed interest.

"Yeah," Yuuri said, tracing an invisible pattern on the window. "It was one of the worst storms the kingdom had ever seen and my mom went into labor during the height of it. Dad said he was surprised that the wind didn't topple over the castle. The High Priestess Ulrike said that my birth was an omen."

"Omen?" Wolfram echoed.

"There's a superstition that a child born during a hurricane will either bring great change or great destruction, but neither can be predicted." Yuuri explained, lost in his own thoughts. "My dad hoped that it would mean I'd be a great warrior or politician…but that proved to not be the case. So now I think he's afraid I'll bring about destruction."

Wolfram's brow crinkled in confusion. "Why is that?"

Yuuri shrugged, a bitter frown on his face. "Well, seeing as how I fail at everything a second prince is supposed to be good at and that I haven't had any inclinations towards a military career, my dad sees the second omen coming true. He thinks I'll destroy something. However, I don't know what."

"Hmmm…" Wolfram turned back to stare at the storm. "I was born during a hurricane too. And my people believe that it was a bad omen."

"Really?" Yuuri asked in mild surprise. Wolfram didn't seem any different from any other Merfolk to him. "That's such a neat coincidence!"

Wolfram nodded, but kept his eyes on the unfolding storm. "Since then, I've been treated as a bit of an outcast….I didn't share in my people's fear of humans and the land, though I knew both were dangerous."

"Did you ever go near the shore?" Yuuri asked.

"A few times," Wolfram replied. "But my mother forbid me and forced me to be in the scout group – to show me how dangerous and evil humans were."

"That sounds like me," Yuuri shifted until he and Wolfram were squeezed together in the sill. Wolfram had slid until he was cupped in Yuuri's arm and Yuuri's hand rested on Wolfram's leg. The position was completely innocent and neither really seemed to notice their proximity. They were completely comfortable.

"My parents would make me do things to prove that humans and merpeople could never get along. They would say that merpeople were violent, cruel, and primitive. But I never bought it." Yuuri didn't think it wise to share the gory details of his part time gig as head of a mermaid extermination squad.

"We are only violent when threatened or you get in the way of our food," Wolfram pointed out.

"True…" Yuuri conceded. The merpeople and many of the fishing boats shared the same hunting grounds. This led to most of the conflicts between the two races. And with the recent population boom of foreigners, the demand for food – especially seafood – had grown, making many shipping fleets encroach on merpeople territory to meet the demand.

"Hey…" Yuuri said after a brief pause. "I understand if you attack us because we get in the way of your food source, but why do you deliberately attack ships and eat humans? That doesn't make sense."

Wolfram shrugged. "Humans are good meat for younglings," He explained. "Human blood and flesh makes us stronger and live longer. However, few of us know why."

"Okay…" Yuuri couldn't suppress his shudder. This was yet another unwelcome reminder that the child-like and beautiful boy beside him was once an efficient killer of his own people. It was a hard concept to digest.

The resulting grin on Wolfram's face was both unnerving and cute. "Humans also just taste good."

"Alrighty then!" Yuuri immediately backed away from Wolfram and perched himself on the opposite side of the windowsill. He felt a pang of guilt when Wolfram frowned at the loss of contact, but the merman shrugged it off and returned to watching the storm.

"I won't eat you," Wolfram said with a slight pout.

"I hope not…" Yuuri mumbled, watching Wolfram from the corner of his vision.

"You are the only one I can trust right now," Wolfram continued. "It would be reckless for me to harm you."

"Right…" Yuuri said, relaxing just a little. He didn't think Wolfram would try to kill him, but his instincts still urged him to be cautious. "Wild animal" echoed in his memory, but he quickly shoved it away.

"I wonder what my clan is doing right now," Wolfram said after a long silence.

"Could they be looking for you?" It had never occurred to Yuuri that Wolfram would have a family – yet another example of his ignorance of merfolk.

Wolfram shrugged. "Perhaps, but likely no. We live a hard life. Those who are lost, injured, or sick are left to fend for themselves. Either you find your way back, recover or die. But the clan will not help you."

"That sounds….awfully cold," Yuuri couldn't believe just leaving someone in need to fend for themselves. He would help them!

"Such is the way of the ocean," Wolfram said. "There is no place for the weak."

"Well, I'm glad I found you then," Yuuri stated. "Now that I know you were completely on your own!"

Wolfram smiled faintly. "I'm glad too."

Just like that, all previous tension dissipated and Yuuri found himself scooting up to Wolfram and watching the unfolding storm with him in companionable silence. Mutual animosity between their races was forgotten and they basked in the moment. Yuuri watched Wolfram from the corner of his eye, simply unable to _not_ stare at the creature beside him. He worried that he came across as creepy because of this, but Wolfram didn't seem to notice or if he did, he didn't seem to mind. Yuuri was filled with both excitement and anxiety over what would transpire the next day – and all the days that followed. Though he was sure that he wanted Wolfram to stay indefinitely.

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When Yuuri woke up, he was on the floor.

Which was odd considering he had started on his side of the massive bed with plenty of space between him and his bed partner.

Wolfram, for his part, had started out on the other side of the bed, curled into a small ball of blankets and pillows, but had somehow found his way to Yuuri's side where he was sprawled out under the duvet. Wolfram's arms and legs were thrown in every direction imaginable and took up the majority of space on the bed, which Yuuri found strange considering the bed could easily fit four grown people.

Yuuri groaned as his stiff limbs cracked from the uncomfortable position on the hard ground. He remembered guiding Wolfram to bed and then passing out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Next thing he knew, he was on the floor with the bright morning sun peeking through the still open curtains from the night before.

A loud knock pierced Yuuri's skull and the prince groaned. "Who is it?"

"It is I, Conrad, your Majesty," Conrad's voice came from behind the door. "I've come to fetch you for breakfast."

"Conrad, for the bajillionth time, call me Yuuri!" Yuuri called out as he gathered his wits enough to dress himself. "Why do we keep having this conversation?"

"Well, to be honest, Yuuri. I must do it for the formality. You know how it is," Conrad said lightly.

"I hate formality…"

"As you have made very clear in the past, Prince Yuuri." Yuuri could hear the amused smile in Conrad's voice. Ever since he had been young, Yuuri had very openly shown his disdain for class and formality. He took time to learn servants' names and address them with the same level of respect and friendliness that he showed the nobility. It made no difference to him. People were people, their status in life meant very little to him, especially if they were counted among his closest friends, like Conrad Weller.

"Give me a few minutes," Yuuri called over his shoulder, rummaging through his wardrobe to find something suitable, not at all caring what it looked like. He picked up a random tunic and trousers and yanked them on. He cursed under his breath when he realized he would need to find an outfit for Wolfram, who was still fast asleep.

"Is your little friend still with you?" Conrad asked.

"Yeah, he is,"

"I've brought some clothes for him, in case you needed them." Yuuri took a moment to thank the gods for blessing him with a manservant like Conrad.

"That's great. Bring them in!"

Yuuri heard the sound of the door creak open and turned to Conrad, who held a small bundle of plain clothing in his hands. He was greeted with Conrad's constant cheerful smile and immediately relaxed in the older man's presence.

"You two shared a bed?" Conrad regarded the sleeping lump still on Yuuri's bed with surprise and slight disapproval.

Yuuri felt the heat of his blush and coughed nervously. "Well, it was late and I didn't want to leave him alone since his room wasn't ready yet, so we just bunked together."

"Ah, yes, about that," Conrad said, though he continued to stare at the sleeping merman. "The room across the hall has been cleared and prepared for him. I saw that it was done myself."

"Thanks, Conrad!" Yuuri chirped.

The two looked over to the bed where the lump began to stir and a messy blond head poked out from under the blankets. Wolfram gave a little huff and slowly sat up from under the blankets.

"Good morning," Conrad greeted warmly. "I hope you had a good night's sleep. Prince Yuuri can be a wild sleeper."

Yuuri snorted quietly as Conrad slowly approached the bed. Wolfram tensed as the soldier approached, but seeing Yuuri's smile made the merman also relax and stare curiously at the folded cloth the brunet man offered to him.

"I've brought you some clothes," Conrad explained slowly as the young man in front of him didn't take the clothing. "You can't wear the same thing every day."

"Here, I'll help him get dressed, Conrad," Yuuri jumped in quickly. He was unsure of letting others get too close to Wolfram, both for the merman's safety and their own. While Wolfram had yet to show outward aggression to anyone, he was still very anxious around strangers and Yuuri didn't want to make him feel uneasy.

"Of course, Prince Yuuri," Conrad acquiesced pleasantly and handed Yuuri the clothes. Yuuri was pleased to see that Conrad had brought him a simple blue button up shirt and a pair of dark brown trousers – still appropriate but also comfortable, perfect for someone not used to wearing clothes.

Yuuri guided a still-groggy Wolfram into the giant walk in wardrobe. He proceeded to teach Wolfram how to put on a pair of pants. Yuuri tried not to blush as his hands ghosted over smooth long legs and his fingers fumbled as he tied the little waistband and quickly led Wolfram out to a waiting Conrad who then led them to the dining hall for breakfast.

During the trip to the hall, Yuuri led Wolfram by the hand as the merman proved to be easily distracted by the tapestries, paintings and even the embroidered drapes. They often had to stop for a couple of minutes as Wolfram looked out each and every single window to view whatever lay beyond the glass – and then he would touch the glass, marveling at the cold and clear material.

"Where exactly did you find him, Yuuri?" Conrad had to ask at one point.

"He's…..not from around here." Yuuri explained quickly, yanking Wolfram along. "They…don't have windows where he's from."

"They don't?" Conrad said in surprise. "Is he from the slums, then? I thought for sure the local pubs and inns would have glass windows. Surely, he would know what they were."

"He obviously never got out much," Yuuri replied, pulling Wolfram away from a vase filled with flowers. He sighed in frustration when Wolfram simply picked up the vase and turned it over, spilling water and flowers onto the floor as he watched in wide-eyed fascination.

"Wolfram!" Yuuri scolded. "Stop touching everything!"

Wolfram shot Yuuri an offended glance and grudgingly put the vase back – upside down – onto the stand as a harried maid rushed over to clean up the mess.

The rest of the trip was thankfully uneventful and they entered the dining room to find that Yuuri's parents were absent.

A guard flatly explained their absence. "The King and Queen have decided they will eat breakfast in their offices today. The princes are welcome to break their fast in their absence."

Yuuri felt tears of gratitude prick at the corners of his eyes at this wonderful news. He nearly let out a sob when he saw the spread of finger foods, fruits, and small pastries which meant this was the one time when Wolfram would be allowed to eat with his fingers.

Wolfram for his part took in the colorful sight of the fruits and cakes laid out before him. He immediately sat down and started filling a plate with every delicacy he could get his hands on.

Yuuri sat down beside him and ordered a cup of hot tea to calm his nerves as he prepared himself to face a day of following Wolfram around to make sure the merman didn't get into any more trouble.

Their breakfast was interrupted by the doors being swung wide open by the royal tutor in all his over the top glory.

"Oh, my young prince! It joys me greatly to see you up with the sun and ready to return to your studies!"

"Sir Gunter!" Yuuri said, forcing a smile on his face as his energetic teacher sat down with a flourish across the table from him. "You're better?"

"Well, I am a tad still under the weather," Gunter said, looking slightly embarrassed. "But I simply couldn't go another day shirking my honorable duties as the proprietor of your education! Why, who else in this kingdom is qualified to ensure that your Excellency is bestowed with the knowledge needed to help his brother rule the kingdom! I would never forgive myself if it was I who stopped you from acquiring a top notch education! I could never live with myself!"

"Gunter, it's only been two days…" Yuuri pointed out, while Wolfram watched the hyperactive tutor intently.

"But two days without rigorous study is two days too many!" Gunter said with a gasp. "Every day spent in leisure is a day that could be better spent expanding your mind! Why, while I was in bed sick, I came up with a new curriculum we could start today and- "

Gunter suddenly noticed the blond youth seated beside Yuuri. "Who is this young fellow?"

"This is Wolfram," Yuuri said. "I've given him sanctuary from his….abusive parents and will be staying with us indefinitely."

Gunter teared up. "Oh my! The Second Prince is so kind and generous! To open his home to a young foundling – and a pretty one at that. Prince Yuuri's benevolence knows no bounds!"

Gunter then went into a long speech on Yuuri's kindness and purity that Yuuri, after years of practice, tuned out. But Wolfram watched the rambling tutor, his food forgotten in favor of staring at this weird and crazy human caterwauling in that same ugly noise the humans used to communicate with each other.

Wolfram leaned over to whisper in Yuuri's ear. "Who is he? Is he always like this?"

"That's just Lord Gunter von Christ – you can call him Gunter though," Yuuri sighed, not seeing any near end to Gunter's rattling. "He's my tutor."

"What's a tutor?" Wolfram asked.

"A tutor is someone who teaches you stuff," Yuuri explained, noticing that Gunter was starting to lose steam.

"What does he teach?" Wolfram didn't see what this strange human would have to teach.

"I dunno….I never pay attention to what he says half the time," Yuuri stated and returned to his plate of pastries.

" – You are one of the seraphim sent down from the heavens to save the downtrodden poor in their unfortunate existence wrought with starvation, disease, and death!" Gunter continued and after a few more ramblings that neither Yuuri nor Wolfram bothered to listen to, he finally turned to his now cold food and began to eat all the while continuing to talk at length about his new ideas for Yuuri's curriculum.

"I am so excited for today's lesson!" Gunter chirped between bites of food. "Today we will go over the legend of the origin of the merpeople! It is such a grand and epic tale that shows the power and goodness of Shin Makoku's Great Shibuya Dynasty!"

Yuuri's interest was piqued. Finally, a lecture he could get some use out of. But, what of Wolfram?

Wolfram didn't understand anyone else but Yuuri…so it shouldn't be an issue if Wolfram sat in on Yuuri's boring lecture. It might actually make Gunter's ramblings more tolerable. He didn't think it wise to leave Wolfram to his own devices or lock him back up in Yuuri's bedroom.

"Well, now that breakfast is taken care of, may we sojourn to the library for your lesson, your Excellency?" Gunter asked, bright-eyed and enthusiastic.

"Um….sure, Gunter…can Wolfram join us?" Yuuri asked as the maids began to gather the empty dishes.

"Of course he can! I'm sure he will enjoy a taste of a high class education!" Gunter grinned and with a flourish, he rose from his chair and made to leave for the library, fully expecting his student and the foundling to follow him.

Sighing, Yuuri got up from his chair and took Wolfram's hand lest he get distracted and wander off. Wolfram easily followed, very eager to see what this odd human had in store for them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram sat next to Yuuri behind the big oak desk where the second prince was supposed to write down notes from Gunter's lectures. In reality, the compositions books stored in the drawers underneath the desk were riddled with doodles, poorly written poetry and satirical stories written by Yuuri to pass the time until his lessons were done for the day.

With a grand flourish, Gunter pulled down a large, elaborately drawn map of Shin Makoku and the surrounding countries.

"Here," Yuuri whispered, handing Wolfram a blank composition book and taking out his own.

"What is this?" Wolfram whispered, flipping through the blank pages.

Yuuri handed Wolfram a freshly sharpened pencil. "Something to keep you occupied. Just remember to nod and look up occasionally so he thinks your listening."

"Prince Yuuri?"

"Um..Yes, Sir Gunter?" Yuuri said quickly looking up.

"Did that young man just…squeak at you?" Gunter said slowly, staring at Wolfram with a raised brow.

"Uhhh…He has a speech impediment!" Yuuri quickly made up. "He's a mute. But he can make squeaky noises….sometimes."

"Ooh…" Gunter's look of surprise was quickly replaced by a look of pity. "Poor thing… I can only imagine what his terrible parents put him through to render him unable to communicate!"

"Yeah, it was horrible," Yuuri said, giving Wolfram a sympathetic pat on the head. Wolfram just gave him a sideways glance and continued to draw circles on the blank pages of his notebook.

"Well, he is now in capable hands!" Gunter said cheerfully. "Now, let's get down to business!"

"Get down to business" was the cue Yuuri's brain needed to shut off all unnecessary functions and plunge the prince into a two to three hour long daydream session. But today, Yuuri overrode his brain's automatic response and focused in on the lecture, nervously glancing to Wolfram as if the merman would suddenly be able to understand human speech and realize exactly what the humans thought of his people.

"Our story begins in the year 1066, at the dawn of the Shibuya Dynasty!" Gunter began with a wondrous voice. "Your great-great-great-great-great grandfather Shinou Shibuya had just been crowned the sovereign ruler of the budding kingdom. In the beginning, there wasn't much to our now grand kingdom. Why, Shin Makoku was really a small province in comparison to other countries, but thanks to the innovative Shinou Shibuya, the kingdom grew."

Producing a long pointer stick, Gunter gestured to the West Ocean on the left side of the map.

"Part of how your fifth great grandfather did this was by oceanic enterprise! The Shin Makokuans were masters of sea faring and King Shinou used this to his people's advantage. As you can see, Shin Makoku's West and Southern borders are all coastline, leaving many of the other countries land-locked. So, King Shinou was able to create a monopoly on the fishing industries and ship building! No nation can ever build ships as fast and durable as Shin Makoku!"

Gunter paused to pull down another map of Shin Makoku drawn after King Shinou had expanded the country's borders eastward.

"Over the next two decades, King Shinou used his wealth garnered from the sea to unite the demon tribes and expand Shin Makokuan territory. This of course led to conflict between the human kingdoms and Shin Makoku…"

Yuuri had heard the story of the Shin Makokuan and Dai Shimaronian conflicts that defined the history of his people. The Shimaronians had been the larger population before the uniting of the Makokuan tribes. As a matter of fact, it was the motivation behind Grandfather Shinou's industry as he wanted to create a country for his people and that meant gathering up enough funds and manpower to drive out the human occupation.

"…This led to a grand war between the huge…"

Yuuri suddenly raised his hand.

Gunter paused in surprise. "Yes, Prince Yuuri?"

"You said we were going to talk about the Great Sea War and why merpeople are our enemies," Yuuri said, if he was going to sit here for the majority of his day, he would at least know what the royal advisor and historian knew of merfolk.

Gunter stared at Yuuri for a moment and then hesitantly explained. "As you know, they are pests. An unavoidable nuisance when traveling by sea on a good day. On a bad day, they are deadly predators that hunt humans on their ships. You know this."

"Yeah, I do, but where do they come from?" Yuuri repeated. "Like, what's the general explanation as to why they exist and why we fight them all the time?"

Gunter thought for a moment. "They are an abomination created by the sea dragon Ryujin, though historically he was the great sorcerer Ryujin and brother of Suijin, your ancestor."

"Can you tell me?" Yuuri asked, glancing to his side where Wolfram was engrossed in drawing swirly shapes on the paper, oblivious to the conversation.

"Well," Gunter began. "As you know, the Shibuya family is descended directly from our divine ancestors who were half-blood gods descended to earth form the heavens eons ago. Shinou's grandfather Suijin was one of these demigods, who was the first to venture down to earth. He had a brother named Ryujin, who chose to help create the sea. Suijin came to earth where he met the Makokuans and taught them their ways. He invented writing, art, agriculture – everything. He even taught them the art of divination and astrology."

Gunter began to pace back and forth as he told the ages old story. "The Makokuans worshipped Suijin and made him their king. They built temples and grand shrines to honor him and they swore eternal loyalty to him and his descendants. He even acquired a Makokuan woman to be his bride and forever bind him to the tribe."

Yuuri listened in rapt attention. For the first time, this was a lecture he could actually pay attention to. His curriculum didn't consist of folk tales and legends. His only experience with the mythology of his country was in childish stories told to him by his nurse. This was new and grounded in truth.

Gunter continued his tale. "Now, Suijin's brother Ryujin became very jealous of his brother's devotees. Fish and other sea creatures, do not make for very good worshippers. He wanted temples and shrines devoted to him as well. So, he sought to create his own people to rule. Through dark and archaic magic, Ryujin used his own blood and the blood of a demon to create the merpeople."

Gunter stopped to go over to one of the massive shelves and pulled out a large book. He flipped to a page and presented it to Yuuri and Wolfram, who looked up from his doodling to see what was being shown.

On the page was an elaborately sketched drawing of the demigod Ryujin pulling a mermaid from a cocoon-like structure surrounded by the violently churning sea. The mermaid had the distinct claws and long barbed fin of the merfolk. The mermaid was looking adoringly up at Ryujin, who was also half-fish but much larger than any merfolk Yuuri had seen. He could see why Ryujin was also known as the Sea Dragon.

"Once Ryujin had created the merfolk in secret, he planned to overthrow his brother. It wasn't enough to have his own people to worship him, he wanted to rule both sea and land. He waged war against the Makokuans and Suijin, using the sea and his newly minted people to his advantage. Our people have always had a strong relationship with the water and the sea was no different. Suijin helped the Makokuans build great ships to fight the merpeople. The war went on for years and years. The merpeople were fast breeders and quickly overwhelmed the humans. They became incredibly dangerous when they found they could take human form, but still retain many of their aquatic abilities."

An image of Wolfram's sharp claws and teeth flittered across Yuuri's mind.

"But Ryujin's arrogance got the best of him. Suijin faked his surrender and offered Ryujin a drink of alcohol and other poisons, knowing that his brothers couldn't drink alcohol of any kind. Ryujin took the drink and it killed him within a day. With his powers gone, the merpeople were panicked and without a leader. Shin Makoku gained the advantage and managed to destroy most of the merpeople using alcohol – a common dinner drink! The merpeople were driven away back into the ocean and the humans reclaimed their rightful place."

Gunter took the book and placed it back on the shelf. "Of course, the merpeople are nowhere near as dangerous as they were then. Today, the merpeople are just dangerous sea animals that have become more and more aggressive as our shipping industry has expanded. I'm sure that some day, they will be driven to extinction and it will be a good day when that happens."

Yuuri suppressed the cringe the crept up his spine. He was glad that Wolfram couldn't understand Gunter's words.

"Gunter?" Yuuri interjected, as Gunter began to return to his original subject.

"Yes, Prince Yuuri?"

"Mythology aside…..Don't you think it is partly our fault for the current conflict with the merpeople because we continue to take over their territory?"

"Some would say yes…but that is progress," Gunter said. "Shin Makoku is the center of the Continent's economy and the backbone of Shin Makoku's economy is the sea. Some thing are unavoidable and exterminating the merpeople is one of them."

"But if we found a way to continue expanding our enterprises without encroaching on the merpeople, perhaps we wouldn't have to exterminate them," Yuuri countered.

"To what end, Prince Yuuri?" Gunter said out of genuine curiosity. It wasn't everyday that his pupil dared to engage in debate – though this topic was odd. "What purpose – other than for folk medicine and fashion – do merpeople serve? They cause immense damage to sea vessels and they are prone to attacking humans. They have few redeeming qualities."

"That doesn't mean they don't have a right to their own land –erm, sea!" Yuuri protested. "And you said so yourself that we're pushing further and further into their territory. Maybe we should – I don't know – slow down a bit?"

"Oh, young Prince Yuuri, you are so noble of heart to show compassion for these animals. But I must tell you that it is sorely wasted on them. With more and more countries joining the alliance, the demand for enterprise grows larger. We can't just slow down – it would be impossible." Gunter said.

Yuuri sighed and let Gunter return to his lecture. The increase in merfolk attacks was a direct result of the shipping industry's expansion – and the demand for certain underwater minerals that were used in a variety of ways. That was the center of Shin Makoku's wealth: powerful ores and minerals used for various purposes from healing and magic to weaponry and currency and it was all underwater and right where the merpeople lived.

Yuuri turned his attention to Wolfram. The merman had taken to scribbling on every page in his composition book and Yuuri found that he was nearly two-thirds through. The prince went over different ways to occupy Wolfram since they had at least another two hours of lecture before Gunter would let them go.

An hour later, Wolfram eventually reached the end of his book and set it down to stare at his surroundings. He glanced at Yuuri to find the prince had acquired a glazed over stare with his chin propped up in his palm while the tall odd man went on some long-winded tangent while pointing at the giant picture and gesturing vaguely.

Wolfram wanted to turn to Yuuri and ask him if they could do something else, but it was clear that the human didn't want him speaking aloud in front of people. From what he could tell, he probably sounded funny and it embarrassed the prince. Wolfram honestly didn't care. If he had something to say, he would say it and damn the person who had a problem. However, the delicacy and uncertainty of his current predicament demanded prudence, so he gently tugged at Yuuri's sleeve to jolt the prince out of his trance.

Yuuri jumped a little with a snort, having been teetering on the edge of sleep. Wolfram waited expectantly for the prince to compose himself.

Yuuri leaned over as close as he could and whispered in a voice so low that only Wolfram's sharp hearing would be able to hear it.

"What is it? You need another book?" Yuuri whispered, glancing nervously at Gunter, who had his back turned to the two.

"I'm bored. I want to explore," Wolfram stated simply. "This human talks too much."

Yuuri looked over at the huge clock by the shelves and frowned. "We have another hour. Can you wait till then?"

"What is an hour?" Wolfram asked.

Yuuri ran his hands through his hair in frustration, not at all keen on explaining units of time – or even the concept of time.

Yuuri pointed to the clock. "See that thing?" Wolfram nodded. "That's a clock. Right now, it's about eleven in the morning. See those two pointy things in the circle?" Another nod. "Those are called hands. When the long hand and the little hand are both pointing at the symbol at the top of the clock, Gunter will stop talking and we can get something to eat. Understand?"

Wolfram didn't entirely understand, but he could grasp the concept. The two "hands" had to be pointing at the same time at the top squiggly thing on the "clock."

Having given Wolfram a definite timeframe, Yuuri returned to ignoring Gunter's lecture, which had now evolved into a detailed description of Hildeyardian infrastructure. Mind completely blank, Yuuri forgot his surroundings.

Wolfram continued to scribble on the blank pieces of paper. When that ran out, he began to draw on the desk itself, making little scratches and marks into the wood to make increasingly elaborate designs to occupy himself. When that ran out, Wolfram sighed and looked up at the still jabbering Gunter who had his back to them the entire time. He looked up at the clock thing and saw that the short hand was pointing at the top, but the long hand was pointing at the bottom. Wolfram inwardly groaned.

Wolfram became interested in the clock that Yuuri had pointed out. It was an elaborately decorated grandfather clock with the big swinging pendulum that produced a deep tick-tock noise that Wolfram's ear immediately zeroed in on as it sounded like the clicks that the whales produced when food was nearby.

Not really thinking or caring, Wolfram got up from his chair when Yuuri had dozed off and Gunter was drawing a detailed map of something that Wolfram thought looked like the underwater tranches and valleys where his clan hunted.

Wolfram walked up to the clock and ran his fingers along the gold designs of the wooden frame. The gold was shaped like vines and leaves and then as it went up the clock it developed into waves and fish. Wolfram glanced up at the clock. The little hands were almost pointing at the top squiggly thing. He tried to touch them, but was stopped by a clear shield of glass. He tapped on it and tried to find a way to remove it, but it was fastened tightly to the edges of the clock. Sniffing in annoyance, he turned his attention back to the pendulum. The big brass circle swung back and forth. Wolfram felt along the edges of the glass barrier and chirped in delight when he found he could open this one and slowly opened the glass case.

Reaching in, Wolfram grasped the pendulum. The clock gave a weird knock and Wolfram could feel the object pushing against his palm in an attempt to keep the rhythm. He watched his morphed reflection in the polished brass and ran his fingers along the cold metal.

Wolfram jumped when the clock made a big ringing noise. Just below the clock, a little door opened and out popped a little bird that looked like the birds that scurried along the shore. Wolfram watched in fixation as the little bird made an odd noise and flapped oddly stiff wings and then popped back into the little door.

Interest piqued, Wolfram attempted to climb the grandfather clock to see where the bird could have gone. He never knew a bird to live inside such a thing. They liked to sit on the rocks and nest in the tall grass along the beach.

Wolfram placed his feet on the base of the clock and reached up as far as he could to pull at the door. It took more effort than he thought, but he managed to get it open and reached in to pull out the bird, which to his surprise was completely hard!

"What on earth are you doing!?"

Wolfram startled at the sudden outburst and lost his footing, though he still grasped the bird which snapped off its perch as his weight yanked it down and made the grandfather clock rock dangerously.

Wolfram fell into the arms of the shocked teacher and was spun around to face the angry look of Goon-ta.

"Just what are you trying to do, young man?!" Gunter exclaimed, shaking Wolfram for emphasis. "That is a rare one-of-a-kind McArthurian Grandfather clock that has been in the Shibuya family for centuries! And you've broken it!"

Wolfram looked down at the bird in his hand. He didn't see the issue. It was a bird, it could fly back to its home inside the clock. To get the bird started, Wolfram tossed it into the air to make it fly, but it only fell to the ground. Wolfram sniffed. The bird didn't know how to fly. So strange. Maybe it was too young...

"Don't do that!" Wolfram jumped back a little at the man's loud voice. "You've ruined it!"

The commotion finally woke Yuuri up from his nap, having fallen completely asleep instead of just dozing off with his eyes open like he usually did. The prince immediately came to his senses when he saw his teacher fussing at Wolfram and the tell tale signs of the merman gearing up for an attack.

"Well, it looks like today's lesson is over!" Yuuri chirped in feigned cheeriness, getting between the two men. "That bit about the demigods and the war and the founding of our country was really interesting Gunter, but I fear that Wolfram and I are starving so we're gonna get lunch now! Bye!"

"Your Highness, where on earth did you find such a cretin!?" Gunter asked. "He broke your father's antique grandfather clock!"

Yuuri noticed the little cuckoo bird on the floor and casually picked it up. "This can be easily fixed. Just have the clockmaker come down and he'll carve out a new bird-thingy."

"But it will decrease the value!" Gunter protested.

"No one has to know!" Yuuri said over his shoulder as he ushered Wolfram out of the library. "I'll send for the clockmaker today! Have a great lunch, Gunter!"

Leaving the sputtering tutor behind, Yuuri rushed Wolfram out into the hallway and towards the relative safety of his own bedroom.

Yuuri nor Wolfram said anything save for a few grunts from the merman when Yuuri yanked his hand a little too hard. It wasn't until they got back to Yuuri's bedroom did the prince think to confront his mischievous charge.

"Can I leave you for five minutes before you start messing with things?!" Yuuri asked in exasperation. "Why must you get into every little thing?"

Wolfram was irritated because the odd talking man had interrupted him and now he was even more irked that Yuuri was scolding him for some unknown offense. He had only be watching the clock and occupying himself like the prince had asked him to!

"I was just trying to see where the bird went!" Wolfram retorted. "The clock thing was making an noise like the whales and then a bird thing popped out when it made a loud noise -"

"It chimed…" Yuuri supplied without thinking.

"- So I wanted to see if the bird made the noise and where it went. Birds don't live inside – whatever that was –"

"A clock…" Yuuri interjected.

"A _clock_ – so I was just looking!" Wolfram finished.

"That was a family heirloom and it nearly toppled over and would've got you killed if Gunter hadn't caught it in time!" Yuuri said. "Honestly, you're like a toddler!"

"What do you expect me to do then?" Wolfram shot back. "You pulled me from my home and now you want me to act like one of you! Well, I don't know how you all act when you're not poisoning our ocean and stealing our food! Since, I am here, I figured I might as well explore and look at things, so I know what they are!"

Yuuri put his hands up and patted the air in a calming gesture. "I understand you being curious, but you have to realize that no one else knows you're a merman! They already think you're insane! I bet Mom and Dad are coming up with ways to get rid of you when I'm not looking! If you want to know something then just ask me!"

"But you won't let me speak!" Wolfram was becoming very angry at the unfairness of the situation. Yuuri said to ask him if he had questions, but he wasn't allowed to speak. He was meant to be like a human, yet they treated him like he was some dumb animal. All anyone did was yell at him and stare at him. It was really starting to piss him off and he wished he could go back to his colony where things made sense!

"You won't let me do anything!" Wolfram continued. "I'm just supposed to sit and be quiet all day! Well, let me tell you that I won't! You're the one that forced me to be here. You're the one responsible! But since you would rather fall asleep while people talk, I'm going to fend for myself and learn things on my own!"

Yuuri realized that Wolfram had a point. He could only imagine what Wolfram was experiencing right now and yelling at him wasn't going to help.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Yuuri said gently placing a comforting hand on Wolfram's quivering shoulder. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be yelling at you. This whole fiasco is just too much for both of us. I don't know anymore than you do…I just need you to be more careful."

Wolfram just pouted at the ground. His anger slowly dissipated with Yuuri's comforting touch. He didn't understand why the male human's touch calmed him so or just being in his presence gave him peace. Yuuri was the only one he could really trust and a part of him did think it prudent to listen to the man. But, he still reserved the right to make the final decision.

"Whatcha guys up to?"

Both Yuuri and Wolfram nearly jumped out of their skins and spun around to see Murata standing casually in the doorway with a big grin on his face.

"Murata!" Yuuri exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I got out of my lessons early and I came to see how you were doing," Murata said as he fully entered the room and closed the door behind him. "I could also hear some very energetic chirps, clicks, and other such noises coming from inside your room. You might want to be careful when you converse in mermaid-ese."

Yuuri felt his face grow hot in embarrassment. "Really? Was it loud?"

Murata did his hands in an iffy gesture. "You could hear it right outside your door. But no one was around. Just me."

Yuuri sighed in relief. "Oh good! I don't know what would happen if someone heard us! Everyone already thinks Wolfram belongs in an asylum!"

"Well, look at it this way," Murata smiled. "You are probably the only man alive who can converse in fluent mermaid! That's impressive!"

"I can't even tell when I'm talking in…mermaid-ese!" Yuuri said. "And Wolfram sounds like he's speaking Common! Only other people can hear the difference. It's frustrating!"

Murata rubbed his chin in thought. "Hmmm…this is fascinating. I can think of a bunch of philosophers, scientists, and scholars who would jump at the chance to speak to merpeople. You're making history without even trying, my prince!"

"That's not what I'm going for…" Yuuri said, glancing back at Wolfram, who was watching the exchange in irritated silence.

"What were you two fussing about anyway?"

Yuuri explained the mischievous antics Wolfram had gotten himself into that day. Murata listened and then proceeded to laugh out loud at Yuuri's distress and the reactions of the castle inhabitants, especially Lord Gunter.

"I have an idea!"

"What idea?"

Murata smiled at Yuuri and then at Wolfram. "The Grand Market is this Saturday. Maybe Wolfram would like to explore all the different vendors. You could buy him a few things that will keep him occupied so he stays out of trouble."

Yuuri was unsure. "I don't think that's a good idea. He's like a baby. He'll get lost."

Murata waved Yuuri's concern off. "Oh pish-posh. It's clear that Wolfram is more independent and smarter than you give him credit for. I'm sure he'll enjoy the sights and like I said, you can buy him some fancy toys that should hold his attention and keep him away from cuckoo clocks."

Yuuri thought about it. He wasn't sold on the suggestion. Today proved that Wolfram would feed his curiosity with or without Yuuri's consent. The merman was proving to be harder to handle than Yuuri had thought. He had expected Wolfram to be timid and obedient as Yuuri was the only person he could trust, but that expectation was proving faulty. Wolfram would do as he pleased. Perhaps buying him some toys and other trinkets would quell his inquisitiveness enough to keep him out of trouble.

"You have to come with us," Yuuri said finally. "I think I'll need an extra set of eyes and hands to keep him from getting lost. You know how crowded it is on market day."

Murata grinned. "Sure! Anything to get me out of the palace!"

"I don't want to take a huge convoy," Yuuri added. "We'll have to sneak out."

"No problem. We should take Conrad though," Murata agreed. "So if we get caught, your parents won't entirely freak out."

"Okay, it's a date then!" Yuuri smiled, feeling cheerful and optimistic for the first time that day. He turned to Wolfram, who had remained quiet the entire tie, to explain everything.

"In a couple of days, I'm going to take you to the market," Yuuri said, ignoring the wide-eyed stare from Murata, the only indication that he had slipped into Wolfram's native tongue.

"What is a market?" Wolfram asked.

"It's a place where people can sell and buy things they need," Yuuri explained. "Murata and I are going to take you and get you some new toys, books, and anything else you might want."

Wolfram's eyes lit up in interest. This market thing sounded like fun and the promise of new things to look at and explore was too good to turn down. He would definitely learn more of this new world and how to survive in it.

Hazarding a smile, Wolfram nodded. Yuuri grinned and clapped his hands together in finality.

"Perfect! Now, can you promise me you'll stay out of trouble until then?" Wolfram paused and then grudgingly nodded again. "Awesome!"

Yuuri turned around to see Murata still staring at them. "What?"

Murata just shook his head. "That will never fail to amaze me. It's so seamless. You're speaking Common and then you're doing a dolphin impression. It's bizarre."

"Get used to it," Yuuri replied. "'Cause you're the only one we can talk in front of."

"Sure…"

The clock on Yuuri's dresser suddenly chimed. Yuuri groaned. That meant sitting in on his father's lunchtime military discussions with his cabinet as part of his military training. It was one of those meetings where Yuuri couldn't get away with dozing open-eyed until the end.

"Time to go!" Murata said cheerfully, doing better than Yuuri to hide his disdain for tedious military discussions. "They can't plan military conquest without us!"

Yuuri rolled his eyes. He started to follow after, but stopped and turned to Wolfram. He still didn't want to leave the merman alone, but it didn't seem prudent to have the inquisitive merman sit in on a two to three hour meeting.

"Can you stay here in my room until I get back?" Yuuri asked. "I'll have the maid bring you more sushi, okay?"

"Why can't I come?" Wolfram pouted.

"We're going to have lunch with my father and his advisors. You really won't like it," Yuuri explained. "I'll be back soon. When the little hand is pointing to the three and the big hand is pointing to the top, I'll be back. Alright?"

Wolfram wasn't entirely alright. However, the promise of sushi bade him to reconsider and he reluctantly nodded.

"Great!" Yuuri smiled. "I'll be back before you know it! Stay out of trouble!"

Wolfram snorted, but watched in silence as Yuuri and Murata left the room, leaving the merman alone to his own devices.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter six!

I hope you guys enjoyed this latest installment. I have two weeks of vacation between now and the start of grad school so I will be reading and working on my fics.

I know not a whole lot happened in this chapter, but I promise there will be more action in the next update. We – and Yuuri – will be reminded that while Wolfram may be cute and lovable, he's still a skilled hunter and a wild creature from the sea.

As always, please review, even if it's critical. Your reviews help me become a better writer and they inspire me to write updates faster!

Best wishes! - EB


	7. Chapter 7

Syrena Chapter 7

Thanks for the reviews! I'm so glad you enjoyed the last installment.

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Syrena Chapter 7 – Spark

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Yuuri slowly walked to the council room where he would be taking his midday meal with his father and the other military officers. He was required to attend one of these meetings at least once out of the three or four times the council met during the week. If Yuuri failed, he could count on his father or Shouri to send an escort of guards to make sure he didn't bail.

But today, it was just he and Murata reluctantly making their way down the vast hall. Yuuri decided it was prudent to be on his best behavior now that Wolfram was staying with them under the very conditional permission of his parents. If he – or Wolfram – messed up too badly, the poor merman would find himself out on the streets within minutes.

"I wonder what they're gonna talk about this time…" Yuuri mumbled, preparing himself for two hours of dry conversation.

Murata shrugged. "I'm guessing it may have to do with your upcoming nuptials… among other things."

Yuuri spun around to face his friend so fast that the other boy nearly slammed into him.

"Are you dead serious?" Yuuri hissed, eyes wide with fear. "They haven't even announced the engagement yet!"

Murata adjusted his glasses, which had been knocked off his nose during the collision.

"I don't know. I heard from my father that it's pretty much a given. They just want the final decision on the dowry and then they'll sign the papers. That's all he told me."

Yuuri slumped forward. "You've got to be kidding me….I haven't even met the girl yet! I don't even know her name!"

"I think it's Lady Amelia of Norwich," Murata said. "She came to visit that one time…"

"I wasn't there!" Yuuri said as they continued their trek. "I was out dealing with that one infestation of merpeople in the Blue Bay. She was gone when I got back."

"Oh, that's right," Murata said calmly. "Well, she seemed nice at the time. Queen Miko liked her."

"He said I had plenty of time and plenty of choices…." Yuuri mumbled angrily. "Why is he settling on the first potential bride that hops my way?"

"It might have something to do with the fact that her father's province is the biggest iron ore producer in the Continent," Murata informed the prince. "I honestly think she was your parent's top choice to begin with."

"They said I had time and choices just to make me feel better!" Yuuri realized. He was ready to turn right around to go join Wolfram in the safety of his chambers.

Murata looked at his friend sympathetically. "It would seem so. But, maybe we're jumping to conclusions."

Yuuri rolled his eyes. "With King Shouma, I doubt it…"

They made it to the council room and with a curt nod from the guards, they entered the big circular room where Yuuri's father spent the majority of his time.

Yuuri noted that Shouri was already present, seated at his usual spot to the father's right, looking for all rights and reasons, like a clone of their father. He gave Yuuri an unreadable look and then turned his attention to the giant map laid out before them.

Yuuri saw the usual military officers that accompanied his father. There was Lord Geigenhuber, Lord Grantz, and Sir Grier – their father's espionage expert, as well as the Daikenja.

"Ah, Prince Yuuri and Lord Murata!" Shouma said with a stiff smile. "Glad you could make it. We were just getting started."

"Good afternoon, Father," Yuuri said quietly. He sat down in his chair to Shouri's right, ignoring the stare he was getting from his brother.

With a nod, King Shouma beckoned the servants to being serving the food. It would be a lighter fare today; sandwiches, fruits, soup, and a light pasta dish were laid before them.

Once they had begun to eat, Shouma went right to business.

"Have you thought anymore of how you will receive Lady Norwich when she arrives?"

Yuuri looked up from his soup. "She's not coming for three months, so no, I haven't."

"Well, as the suitor, you need to think of an appropriate reception for her. We want to make her feel welcome and since you're the one courting her, it's best if you handle the reception," Shouma explained.

Yuuri had to suppress the urge to eye-roll, knowing it would get him a smack across the face. It was apparent that he wouldn't be allowed to sit back and let his parents handle all the hoopla over this potential bride, but such was not the case unfortunately.

"Okay…" Yuuri sighed and continued to play with his soup.

This seemed it irritate his father. "I don't have to tell you how important this is, Prince Yuuri," he scolded.

"I was under the impression that I would have all the time I needed to choose a consort," Yuuri couldn't help but bring to light. "Why is all of a sudden so urgent that I court Lady Norwich?"

Yuuri could see Murata cringe and Shouri sigh out of the corner of his vision. Shouma remained steady and indulged to answer his son.

"There have been a few changes. Mostly concerning our trade and a recent break through in managing the merpeople population."

Yuuri froze. His spoon clanked onto the table, his soup forgotten. He didn't like the sound of that. "What kind of break through?"

"According to local sailors and marine scholars, the merpeople have had a tremendous boost in their population growth over the years," Lord Grantz, the head of the royal navy explained. "They've doubled their numbers in the past ten years and as such, they are proving to be an increasingly dangerous pest, especially for the mining vessels."

"Seeing as how liquor is the main defense against them, this has led to an increase in the price of barley and other ingredients used in alcohol manufacturing, especially when it is made for consumption," Geigenhuber added.

"Therefore," Lord Grantz continued, looking all too happy over what he was about to say. "We've looked into other alternatives."

"What alternatives?" Yuuri didn't like the sound of this.

"Some of the lead scientists employed by the military, in particular Lady Anissina von Karbelnikoff, have found an alternative solution," Lord Grantz explained. "According to her research, Lady Karbelnikoff has found that raw iron ore is twice as effective in mermaid extermination."

Yuuri had only met the eccentric Lady Karbelnikoff on two occasions. He found her to be a brilliant, but overwhelming individual who always had some harebrained idea that she was trying out on any poor servant that happened to be in the vicinity. He was aware that her personal scientific research was mostly funded by her research done on behalf of the military, mainly in dealing with merpeople.

"And how would we use iron ore?" Yuuri asked. He stole a glance to Murata who opted to remain silently seated next to the Daikenja. The bespectacled boy offered Yuuri a worried glance as they both thought of their new friend hidden in plain sight.

"Iron ore can be ground into a powder," Grantz gestured towards the map where White Cap Bay and Blue Bay where circled in red ink. "If we can find a few brave men, we can release a large amount of it into the bay, the swirling current will spread it through the merpeople colonies and kill them. Its's much more potent than alcohol and it requires less of the agent."

Yuuri's heart sank into his stomach. White Cap Bay was the largest colony of merpeople lying twenty miles beyond the Shin Makoku northern beaches. It was a dormant volcano that was surrounded by sharp rocks. Most vessels couldn't get past the rocks and many sank when they tried to get too close to the island. However, that didn't stop many a pirate or ambitious mining ship as White Cap had the largest crop of precious stones and minerals, much more than any of the other volcanic islands where the valuable ores were mined. At least, that's what the rumors claimed.

"If we get rid of the colony in one fell swoop, we will have access to the largest amount of mineral ore in the Continent!" Shouma said. "That's why a marriage into the Norwich Family is important. If we secure the marriage, we will have access to unlimited iron ore that can be used to better manage the merfolk population."

"Mermaids have other uses," Yuuri pointed out, though he was loath to. "Aren't they used for medicine?"

"Posh! That's just folk medicine," the Daikenja said. "There's no real evidence that their scales have any special healing powers. The only thing they're good for is over priced jewelry."

"It just….it just seems awfully cruel," Yuuri said, ignoring the look from Shouri that said 'shut up!' "They only attack us because we invade their space. Maybe if we found alternatives…"

Yuuri was interrupted by a collective chuckle from the others. He bit back the furious remark that perched on his tongue as yet again his thoughts were cast aside. Why did his father even bother to make him sit in on these meetings?

"Yuuri," Shouma said, effectively patronizing his youngest son. "These are not a wayward flock of seagulls or a nest of squirrels in the attic. These are deadly hunters that can't be reasoned with. Force is a necessity."

"Has anyone ever tried communicating with them?" Yuuri asked, he glanced over at Murata who gave him a shocked "what the hell are you doing?" kind of look.

"Communicate with a mermaid?" Shouma said dryly.

"The scholars have written texts on….on ways to talk to merpeople," Yuuri explained. "And doesn't it make sense? If they can take human form from the waist up and lure sailors to the sharp rocks with their songs, it's not impossible that they could know how to speak."

Shouma shook his head in disappointment at his son's perceived naiveté. "My son, you have been reading too many storybooks instead of paying attention to Gunter in your lessons. That is all myth."

"What if it's not?" Yuuri stated. "Has anyone ever tried?"

"Talking to a mermaid!" Grantz scoffed. "You'd have better luck discussing philosophy with a stingray! There's no point!"

"For someone who regularly leads an extermination squad, you are being very protective of these creature all of a sudden," Geigenhuber pointed out calmly.

Yuuri went silent. Yes, he had been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of merfolk. He had seen the damage they could do to ships and nets. He had heard many a tale of a mermaid attack on unlucky swimmers and ships. He would also never forget that night when the Maou was the target of a large and calculated mermaid attack. Yes, Yuuri knew the merfolk were dangerous, he wouldn't delude himself into thinking they were docile. But the animosity between his people and the merfolk was unfounded and grounded in grave misunderstanding.

"I don't believe in unnecessary killing," Yuuri said, meeting Geigenhuber's gaze. "Yes, my team…removes… them when they pose a threat, but I don't believe in this 'they're in our way so let's kill them all' mentality. That, to me, is just as savage as anything the merpeople have done."

There was an awkward pause. King Shouma and his associates stared Yuuri down like he had just spoken blasphemy. Which he had to a degree.

"Prince Yuuri…" His father said at last. "We're not declaring war on the merpeople. We are just diminishing their numbers enough so that we can gain access to a valuable resource that can help better the lives of Shin Makoku's people and her allies. As a prince, you should be in support of any action that accomplishes this."

"But I am!" Yuuri protested.

"Then why are you siding with – not an enemy – but with a dangerous sea creature? A creature that exists only to hunt and breed? The merpeople have expanded their number to a point where conflict with humans is inevitable and frequent. For the purposes of safety and trade, we cannot have this." Shouma said. "Therefore we need to find better ways to manage their numbers."

Yuuri looked away from the judgmental expression of his father and the cabinet. He bit the inside of his lip in frustration at being unable to stand up to his father and his lackeys. He hated that he could never get them to see things from a different perspective or consider an alternative to their usual forceful ways.

"Why this sudden protectiveness for the merfolk?" Shouma asked finally, cutting through Yuuri's thoughts.

Yuuri hesitated. "Well….um...it's that…"

Shouma suddenly let out a bark of a laugh as a bright idea came to him. "Don't tell me the little foundling you dragged in yesterday is a mermaid in disguise?" He continued to laugh and the generals joined in dutifully. "That would explain everything!"

It took a moment for Yuuri to recover. That statement hit a little too close to home and he could feel the worried stares coming from Murata and Shouri, who were also not laughing one bit.

"No…he's just as human as anyone," Yuuri said as smoothly as possible.

Shouma smiled. "Then your charity would be better spent on him. Don't waste your time with this."

Deeming the conversation over, Shouma changed subjects and he and the generals began discussing other facets of running the kingdom. Yuuri barely kept up with what was going on, thinking only of Wolfram and his colony and what he could do to help them in the next three months.

Three months…..that wasn't a lot of time. To complicate matters further, Yuuri didn't know if the mysterious magic that turned Wolfram human was permanent or temporary. He didn't want Wolfram to be there when his father's battleships dumped iron powder into the water.

The meeting went on without any interruption. Shouri was the only one of the three younger men to participate in the conversation that drifted from trade routes to improved military strategy to prostitution laws. None of which Yuuri was the least bit interested in. It was the same thing every day; how to make Shin Makoku even more powerful and wealthy. Shin Makoku was well on its way to becoming an empire with more and more countries joining the alliance and giving over partial control to his father. If things continued the way that they were, Yuuri believed the Shibuya family would eventually rule the Continent.

Finally, the meeting was adjourned. King Shouma was the first to stand, followed by his two son and then the rest. They all filed out of the room, as the servants gathered the dishes and wine goblets and threw out Yuuri's untouched food.

"Yuuri…"

Yuuri tried not to groan when he heard his name being called. He slowly turned around to see his father standing behind him.

"Yes, Father…" Yuuri said evenly.

"Where do you think you are going?" Shouma said with his hands on his hips.

"I was going back to my room and show Wolfram around the palace," Yuuri said, but he know realized that wasn't going to happen.

"Today, you have patrol," Shouma said. "I had a complaint from a captain of a fishing fleet state that a small pod of merfolk have been stealing fish from the nets. You are to go down there and take care of the problem."

"Dad, I really don't want to," Yuuri sighed tiredly.

A raised hand silenced any further objections. "Yuuri, you are wasting your time pitying these creatures. You are the Second Prince Shibuya Yuuri of the kingdom of Shin Makoku. You are given this one simple task that will continue to maintain the quality of life for our hardworking fishing fleets. You've done this since you were fifteen and you will continue to do it until you're duties change when Shouri becomes King. Understand?"

Yuuri really didn't have the energy to argue. He didn't have the energy to go down to the docks and get rid of the hapless merfolk. He didn't feel like adding to the already powerful hostility that existed between the humans and the merpeople. He only felt like going back to his room and getting to bond with his new friend and show him that humans weren't all that bad. But he was now seeing the holes in that plan. If anything, he could understand a tiny bit on why the merpeople didn't like humans.

"Yes, Father," Yuuri said through gritted teeth.

Satisfied with that response, Shouma bid Yuuri goodbye and continued about his various commitments, leaving behind a downtrodden Yuuri.

Sighing, Yuuri headed for his own chambers to get his equipment, not get Wolfram and show him around the castle like he wanted. Not that he was even in the mood anymore. He just wanted the day to be over now.

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Yuuri had been gone fifteen minutes when the Effie knocked on the door. When Wolfram finally figured out how to open the door, the Effie offered him a tray laden with sushi and salmon.

The Effie jumped when Wolfram snatched the tray from her grasp and shut the door in her face. He was hungry and the fish looked delicious.

In less then ten minutes, Wolfram plowed through the entire spread, leaving the rice in a neat little pile in the middle. After finishing his meal, Wolfram sat back ad looked around at his environment.

Yuuri's bedroom was lined with various toys and knickknacks from a long ago childhood. Wooden ships, lighthouses and figurines of various mythical and non-mythical creatures overflowed on most of the shelves and bookcases. Wolfram got up and walked over to one of he shelves and picked up a small wooden figurine of a whale and her calf.

It was a blue whale, even with the brown color of the wood, Wolfram could tell. The long snout, slight hump and striped belly were giveaways. Wolfram ran his fingers along the polished wood, feeling every curve and engraving used to make this object as life like as possible.

Wolfram felt a sudden pang of homesickness. He and his colony would follow the same migration trail as the blue whales. They shared the same winter territory in the warm southern seas. The whales and merpeople had an amicable relationship. The whales would show them were food was and they would in turn protect them from hunters and sharks, especially the young.

He thought of the clear southern waters, how everything seemed to be within reach though it was far away. The turquoise waters were so gentle, not at all like the turbulent currents of their permanent home at White Cap Bay. The kelp forests were huge there and the variety of shellfish and crabs to be eaten were incomparable to the fare of the north. There was even this type of tiny sea snail that Wolfram absolutely loved and it could only be found in the southern kelp forests.

Wolfram wondered what his clan was doing right now. It was spring; the newest batch of hatchlings should be emerging by now. He wondered if his mother had begotten another child. He snorted. That would be just like her. Cheri was one of the more 'active' mermaids in their colony, producing the most males – him and his brother Gwendal – to their colony. Wolfram probably had several dozen new cousins right now and they would all be busy teaching them how to swim and hunt in order to survive the journey south come winter.

He should be there. He should be there teaching the young. He knew so much about humans and about hunting and everything really, he would make an excellent teacher.

By Ryujin, he missed the ocean! It had only been two days, but it was two days too long for the merman. He missed the water, the waves, the sand – the food! He missed his tail. It was almost too much. And to make it worse, he didn't know when – or if – he would ever see his home again.

His hand brushed lightly against his clothed leg. He could walk and stand on his own without getting too tired now. He was glad he was adapting quickly. All the better if he was to survive in this odd new world.

Wolfram set the figurine down and continued to search about the room. He examined a few other toys, but found that none really caught his attention. He was too depressed and anxious to really take advantage of this new opportunity. He wanted Yuuri to come back soon so he could tell Wolfram what these things were and hopefully, how they worked.

Wolfram looked at the clock. The long hand was pointing down again and the short hand was pointing to the upper right, but not at the curvy thing that signified Yuuri's return. Wolfram groaned. This was taking forever.

Wolfram looked around and found a shelf filled with more notebooks. Perhaps he could draw some more. When he picked out a notebook, he found to his disappointment that it was already filled with picture and strange scribbles. He looked at the drawings that depicted humans doing Ryujin knows what. Wolfram carefully flipped through the pages, trying to learn something from these markings that could help him understand humans better.

Wolfram finished that book and then picked another. This pattern continued until all the books were in a pile around him and he was flipping through the last one. This one was giving Wolfram some trouble as he had never seen humans that looked like this. There were three of them that were very fat and pink and they didn't wear pants. The fourth human was covered in fur and had long sharp teeth like a shark and looked like he was blowing at one of the fat pink human's house. They all had oddly shaped fins – feet, as Yuuri called them.

Giving up, Wolfram dropped the book and looked at the clock. The little hand was well past the curvy scribble, it was now pointing to the scribble beneath it. Yuuri was late.

Wolfram huffed. He went to the door. He hesitated. Yuuri told him not to venture out without him or the eye-circles man – Murata.

Wolfram spun away from the door and meandered around the room some more, picking up the same objects and putting them back. He returned to the door and stared at the lacquered wood for a long time.

He was really bored now. He had looked at everything there was to look at and explore. He couldn't think of anything else to occupy himself until Yuuri's return, which now was seeming increasingly uncertain as the hands of the lock were very much past where Yuuri said they would be when he returned.

Wolfram snorted. Why should he be so concerned over what the human boy said? He was smart, he was resourceful, and he had a great sense of direction. He was sure it would do no harm if he just wandered a little bit beyond the room. Maybe he could find Yuuri.

Wolfram lightly touched the handle and jumped when the door slid open. Curious, he stepped out into the big hallway. There was no one there – all was quiet. Feeling confident, Wolfram stepped fully out into the hallway. He paused only for a moment, and then the painting across the hall caught his eye.

It was a huge portrait of a human ship fighting against a raging hurricane. The big sails were stretched to their max against the wind, the waves splashed and rocked the ship, the humans on board struggled to stay afloat and not get washed overboard. Lightening and thunder rumbled just behind the hull of the ship against inky black clouds.

Wolfram ran his fingers along the tiny ridges made by the brush strokes. He wondered how the humans made such a thing. It was beautiful. The water and rain looked real.

Wolfram noticed another painting out of the corner of his eye. He walked over to this new picture and took in the vision of a mountain range at sunset. The setting sun cast bright colors of orange, red, gold, and purple over a small valley in which sat a little human village.

As if in a trance, Wolfram took in the painting…and then another and then another, slowly making his way down the hall and further away from the safety of Yuuri's bedroom.

Wolfram didn't think to look where he was going until he nearly ran into a flabbergasted maid. The poor girl nearly shrieked when Wolfram hissed at her for surprising him, but a voice caught his attention.

"Oh my! What are you doing here?"

Wolfram paused and looked to see the Queen standing between her maids and a couple of guards, who had pulled their swords when Wolfram acted so aggressively.

"Shouldn't you be with Yuuri?"

Wolfram blinked, he didn't understand the human gibberish she spoke. The queen regarded him with hands on her hips and a disapproving look on her face, but she didn't come across as threatening…not at all.

The queen sighed. "You are an odd one…..and you're far from your rooms…."

Wolfram just stared.

"Surely…just because you can't speak doesn't mean you can't understand me, no?" She said lightly. "I ran into Lord Christ and he says you're a very active and mischievous thing."

Queen Miko dared to slowly walk up to Wolfram. The merman went deadly still, unsure of how to react. Yuuri hadn't told him what to do when the King and Queen were around. Wolfram's instinct was to go on the defensive, but he didn't know how well Yuuri could protect him if he attacked without need. And besides, this human female wasn't at all scary or intimidating – even less so than Yuuri.

"You like art?"

Queen Miko walked up to the painting Wolfram was just looking at. It was of a deer and her fawn grazing in a meadow. Wolfram backed away so quickly that he bumped into a stand, knocking over yet another vase filled with water.

Both Wolfram and Miko cringed when the glass vase hit the ground and shattered. Wolfram recoiled, fearful of what would be done to him now that he didn't have Yuuri to protect him. But instead of shouts and spears, he only got a tired sigh from the queen.

"That was part of my dowry…when Shouma and I were married," She muttered with a frown, watching the maids clean it up. "I hated it, anyway…..I hate orange…."

She looked up from the shattered vase back to Wolfram. "You can't stay out of trouble, can you? This is probably the first time you've ever seen such vast wealth and luxury. It must be overwhelming."

Wolfram had no idea what this woman was saying. All he heard was the choppy, clipped sounds of the human tongue and nothing else. He stiffened when Miko reached out a tentative hand to him.

"You may come with me," She said. "I'm about to have my afternoon tea. You obviously can't be left unattended – Great One knows where Yuuri is right now. You may join me."

Wolfram looked at the offered hand, not sure of what to do. Was she going to take him away? Was he going to be killed or thrown into a filthy tank?

He dared to look up at Miko. The woman kept a gentle, but nervous, smile on her face, patiently waiting for his response. The guards were hesitant and one of them spoke up.

"My Queen, I don't think this is a good idea…."

"Don't worry about it," She said without looking away from Wolfram. "He's just a foundling…what harm can he do?"

Wolfram still didn't take her hand.

Queen Miko sighed. "Come on, now! I will take you back to Yuuri when he's finished with whatever task Shouma has given him."

Wolfram didn't see any other option, and he was curious. He sensed no danger from the woman. Very slowly, he took her hand. This earned him a smile from the queen and Wolfram had to note that she bore an uncanny resemblance to Yuuri. She had the same big doe-y eyes, bright smile and rounded cheeks that made her look much younger than she probably was. She exuded warmth and easiness, which made Wolfram finally take her hand and allow the woman to lead him further away from Yuuri's bedroom.

The Queen hummed easily as they made their way into a different wing of the palace. She didn't stop or slow down like Yuuri did when Wolfram tried to look at a painting or play with the drapes. This annoyed Wolfram but he sighed and gave up after a while and allowed himself to be dragged to whatever unknown that this female had in store for him.

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Yuuri made his way to the docks where the fast skimmers that his group of exterminators used to hunt down rogue merfolk were located.

Yuuri absolutely hated patrol. Most days it was boring. Other days it was the miserable task of killing bothersome merpeople who got caught in nets or stole from the fisheries. Actually, it was the men employed by Yuuri's father that did all the work, Yuuri simply watched and gave an order here and there. They were a group of twenty or so soldiers – loud, brave and itching for a fight. They tolerated and abided Yuuri's presence, not seeing him as their commander but the inexperienced kid brother of the Crown Prince. That was what Yuuri really was to them, a kid. They were seasoned, rigorously trained soldiers who for some reason or other were relegated to merfolk management.

For the most part, he and "his men" were estranged, he didn't speak to them and they only spoke when they had a question or under their breaths when Yuuri gave a command they didn't like. They didn't respect him the way they respected his father and Shouri – they thought him a wimp.

Yuuri paused when he saw that his men were gathered in front of a larger fishing vessel, yelling and messing with the large net bursting with fish. Yuuri sighed. Apparently, they had gotten started without him. This always happened. They would go about their work with or without Yuuri, following a previous order from their real master the king. Yuuri was just there for show.

Yuuri walked up to stand behind the men and silently took in the sight before him. They didn't notice his presence, he doubted they were even expecting him, instead they were kicking at something lying on the deck.

Yuuri gasped and immediately pushed forward, ignoring the surprised grunts of his men.

"Your Majesty?" one Of the soldiers exclaimed in surprise – the most senior of Yuuri's crew.

Lying right before the soldier's feet was a merperson – a female. She was covered from the neck down in shimmering silver scales like Wolfram, but unlike Wolfram her stringy hair was pitch black and littered with shells and other odd trinkets that had been woven in by inhuman hands. Her mouth was pulled in a grimace – a mix of ferocity and pain as she lay curled into a ball, bruises from the hard boots of her assailants littered her body.

"What is going on here?" Yuuri demanded.

"This mermaid was trying to steal fish from the owner's nets. She's part of a pod that's been bothering this fleet for a couple of weeks now," The soldier explained.

Yuuri dared to get closer to the bound mermaid. He stepped back when the mermaid let out a loud hiss revealing her razor sharp teeth. She looked to be a juvenile – maybe older, certainly breeding age. She looked up at him with dark eyes that reminded Yuuri of the great white sharks that also lurked beyond the shallows.

Yuuri looked at the boat in question. It was equipped with a series of pulleys, ropes and nets that indicated it was a deep sea fishing boat. Barrels of chum were lined up neatly along the rails to attract smaller sharks and large predatory fish next to containers of bait for smaller fish. Yuuri recognized the vessel as one of the Wincott Fishing Company's boats, one of the larger fishing fleet in Shin Makoku.

Yuuri noticed the huge net filled with squirming fish that was half-hoisted out of the water. "Why is that up?"

"One of the sailor's was hoisting it up when she got caught in the ropes," The soldier explained. "She was chewing through the netting and her arm got tangled up somehow."

"Where is the captain?" Yuuri asked.

The soldier nodded and called up to the deck. An old sea-worn man hobbled down from the deck and gave Yuuri a rather terse bow.

"Forgive me, 'Majesty," The old seaman said in a coarse voice. "I was tending to some business while we waited for your arrival."

"What might that be?" Yuuri inquired.

The seaman frowned and pointed an angry finger at the mermaid. "This little nuisance chewed through me brand new net! Now, I gotta order a new one an' that's what I was doin'! I can't tell ya how many o' these things eat through my nets! Cost me a fortune every month when I got to repair or downright replace half o' them! It's a pain, your Majesty!"

Yuuri nodded sympathetically. As part of his education, he had been required to learn the ins and outs of the fishing industry as it made up a large portion of Shin Makoku's economy. He was well aware of how expensive and troublesome it was to keep replacing nets. Especially for a ship this size.

"I'm sorry this happened," Yuuri said calmly, but he was still watching the mermaid's behavior.

The female's eyes kept jumping from Yuuri to the net. But rather than looking at the tons of fish hungrily, instead she was staring with a mixture of worry and agitation. He also noticed that she was gradually trying to scoot closer to the net and craning her neck to see into the water where the bulk of the net was still floating.

"Hang on a second," Yuuri murmured when the seaman tried to say something else. He followed the line of the mermaid's gaze to a spot just below the surface. Yuuri couldn't see anything but fish at first. When he knelt down he could see the sections of rope where the mermaid was trying to chew through the fibers.

There was a glint – something that didn't have the dark grey scales of the fish, but luminescent silver.

"Lift the net all the way out of the water," Yuuri ordered.

The seaman protested. "But if I lift it out it will cause it to rip more! That thing's got an entire school of mackerel! I won't be able to repair it if we take it out and it rips open!"

"I will see to it that you have two brand new nets to take its place," Yuuri said firmly. "Now order your men to lift it all the way out of the water."

The sea captain looked as if he would gripe against the order, but a stern look from the prince bade him quiet and he grudgingly ordered his sailors to lift the net out of the water.

The net began to rise out of the churning sea with a groan from the pulley system as the sailor's used every once of strength to pull the massive load onto the deck. The chewed ropes immediately began to wither and snap as the full weight to the catch was pressed onto them and they were able to get it onto the deck just in time for the small hole to give away and the ropes to snap spilling fish, seaweed, debris and driftwood onto the deck.

Yuuri got onto the deck and immediately tried to locate the silvery glint he had seen before, certain that it would hold the answer to this captain's problems. He was correct when underneath the piles of fish there was the weakly twitching body of a merchild.

The poor thing was weakened terribly. It lay in a heap amidst the fish, not moving or responding to being handled so roughly. It looked just like the mermaid and Yuuri estimated it to be a yearling – too old to be a hatchling, but still too young to be on its own. It curled in on itself when the bright sunlight hit it with a groan and then gave a tiny call that was meant for its mother.

The mermaid heard the sound from her place on the docks and the fight returned to her. She immediately began to hiss and claw at her bonds ignoring the shouts of the soldiers around her.

"Stop it!" Yuuri shouted. "Leave her alone!"

"Your Majesty!" The lead soldier said in surprise.

"This is why she was chewing through your net," Yuuri said to the sea captain. "She was trying to get to her offspring."

"Oh…." The captain said dryly, not at all surprised. "This happens a lot…"

"What?" Yuuri said in shock.

"I get the babies caught in the nets all the time," The captain said irritably, more concerning with his ruined net than anything else. "It's an annoyance is what."

"What do you do with them?" Yuuri asked, though he dreaded the answer.

The captain shrugged. "I usually sell them to vendors for the meat and the scales. Mostly witchdoctors."

Yuuri had never tasted the flesh of merpeople and he had no plans to. Though, Murata and Shouri had and he knew his parents occasionally ate it. They had told him it tasted like shark meat. It was still gross to him.

A thought came to Yuuri. "Where do you usually fish?"

"The captain pointed out towards the ocean. "About about seventeen miles out.…"

It all made sense to Yuuri. "There are places with big kelp forests. Merchildren are known to hide among the kelp. Maybe the reason you've been having so many merpeople chew your nets is because they're trying to get to their children who got caught!"

"Well, that would explain it," The captain said grouchily. "Damned fish!"

Yuuri frowned. "Before you come into the harbor, maybe check your nets for trapped merchildren and just toss them back if they're not too injured. It'll save your nets."

The seamen groaned. "One more thing I gotta worry about….."

"Look at it this way," Yuuri said, trying not to become annoyed with the captain's callousness. It was his fault his nets were getting chewed up anyway. "It's an extra effort but it will save you from buying new nets all the time."

"Yer right, I s'pose… He grumbled.

Satisfied, Yuuri gestured towards the net. "Get the pup out of there and give it to his mother."

As the soldiers scrambled to follow orders, Yuuri carefully knelt down next to the mermaid and started to untie the ropes.

"Shhh, it will be okay," He said with a gentle smile. "You and your baby will be out of here in a bit."

The mermaid suddenly stilled and stared up at Yuuri with wide eyes. She didn't even flinch when his pocketknife cut through the ropes close to her skin. She regarded him with shock – and comprehension.

Yuuri met her dark gaze and it dawned on him. "Can…you understand me?"

The mermaid opened her mouth as if to answer but a movement behind Yuuri caught her attention. The prince turned to see one of his soldiers roughly carrying the dazed merchild. Yuuri felt relief when it appeared as if the pup hadn't sustained any serious injuries. When the merchild saw its mother, it immediately began to squirm and reach out for her. The soldier tried not to drop the creature and quickly brought it over to its waiting mother.

Shaking off the last of the ropes, the mother snatched her baby away and nuzzled the merchild. Yuuri stood back and watched with a warm smile at the reunion. Though bruised and cut a few places, mother and baby would heal just fine now that they had each other. It was certainly better that what would have befallen them had Yuuri not arrived when he did. It would have been a terrible tragedy.

Yuuri waved for the men to step back so the mother could pull herself and her baby back into the water with a large splash. They disappeared under the water for a brief moment then the mermaid's head popped out of the murky depths and motioned for Yuuri to come closer.

"Be careful, your Majesty!" one of the soldiers said, but Yuuri ignored him and got down on his knee to look at the mermaid.

Clear as day, in perfect Common from a mouth full of razor sharp teeth came a single phrase.

"_Thank….you_…"

Before Yuuri had a chance to say "you're welcome" the mermaid was gone, headed back to her colony and hopefully far away from any fishing vessels.

Yuuri stood, enjoying the fuzzy warm feeling he was getting from his good deed. It made him happy when he could solve a problem with the merfolk without it leading to death and violence. He truly believed that the merpeople weren't violent, bloodthirsty creatures. Wolfram was proving that sentiment more and more false. They were just wild creatures of their environment. Inclined to attack only when they felt unsafe or were hungry.

Yuuri turned to face his men.,. who were looking at him with a mix of confusion and disapproval. Yuuri tried not to groan. As if they needed another reason to think him odd or incompetent or _soft_. They would have been content to just kill the mermaid and let the sea captain sell the pup to a vendor. Had it been any other day, Yuuri would've just let them kill the creature and gone back to sulking and dealing with the guilt. But today, he would change that. Starting today, he would put an end to the pointless killing.

"Before you torment a wild creature, at least try to find out the cause for its behavior," Yuuri scolded.

But the men were unmoved. One of them spoke up. "But Your Majesty, our duties don't change. We are to eliminate any threats to the vessels or people were travel these waters. The mermaid was chewing up the nets and attacking. And by law, we kill any merfolk that attack. They're dangerous, your Majesty."

"That doesn't mean you tie it down and beat it!" Yuuri snapped. "There's getting rid of the problem and there's just being bullies and that's what you were being to that mermaid!"

"What's gotten into you, your Majesty?" Another soldier asked. "They're just wild animals. You've never had an issue with it before."

Yes….before…Before, Yuuri didn't have Wolfram. Before, Yuuri didn't have anything to care about. And that changed a lot of things.

"Killing in self-defense is one thing, but what you did is entirely different and unfit for soldiers of the Crown. If you can avoid needlessly killing wild animals, then please do so!"

"Your Majesty, if I may speak?" Another soldier said, raising his hand.

"What?" Yuuri said tiredly.

"They're violent hunters," The soldier said. "They attack us. Many a man in this company has lost a friend or kin to those creatures. That's why we joined this brigade. To get rid of as many of them as possible so they don't hurt anyone else."

The other soldiers nodded in agreement. Yuuri didn't know what to say to that. They had a point. Many soldiers and sailors had lost many a friend to the merpeople. Yuuri said nothing, only pushed past the men with a rushed order to "kill quickly if you must kill at all." He was done for the day, he would hole himself up in his study or do paperwork if he had to, but he wasn't dealing with this now. Not today.

Yuuri frowned. His men were right to an extent. Unfortunately, humans happened to be one of the merpeople's food sources. They did attack ships on purpose in addition to being pests. Yuuri just hoped that someday, he could find a compromise between the humans and merfolk, but for now, he would just have deal with the fact that humans and merpeople would always be violent adversaries.

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The rest of Yuuri's day went by quickly, thank the gods. It was mostly organizing the roster and pay roll, inventory and other mundane things such as that. Yuuri stayed behind while his men went about responding to the different complaints issued by the fishermen and he could only imagine the victims of his men's spears and suppressed many a shudder. Before he knew it, he was running over an hour late. With a huff, he left his post and prepared himself for an irritated merman.

While Yuuri believed in avoiding pointless killing, there was still the law and the safety of his people to consider. Once a merfolk had attacked a human or shown any inclination toward violence, they were deemed unsafe and there was next to nothing the prince could do to spare the creature's life. Yuuri sympathized with the merpeople and he didn't excuse the conflicts that his people brought on themselves, but he couldn't ignore duty – even though he wanted to. Despite what his father and brother thought of him, Yuuri wasn't completely incompetent.

Yuuri made his way on his favorite steed Ao through the big gate of the palace. The sun was just beginning to set behind the north tower and he was surprised at how he had let time slip away from him. He hadn't meant to stay out so late. He immediately felt guilty for leaving Wolfram unattended for so long. The merman must have been bored to death by now.

Yuuri walked into his room and scanned the area for his little friend. He froze.

While there was evidence of Wolfram's presence in the form of books and toys thrown about and empty plates on the floor, there was no Wolfram. Yuuri rushed around the room, calling out for the merman and panicking when there was no response.

Yuuri checked the wardrobe, the bathing room and even the laundry basket, but there was no sign of the little merman. Fully panicking now, Yuuri bolted into the hallway, looking left and right for any indication as to where his friend had gone.

Yuuri immediately suspected foul play. What if his father or even Shouri had taken Wolfram and cast him out while Yuuri was gone?

"Effie! Effie!" Yuuri called out when the petite maid rounded the corner holding a basket of laundry.

The young maid jumped a little and hastily curtsied as best she could. "Yes, your Majesty?"

"Where is Wolfram?" Yuuri asked hurriedly, thinking of a dozen different answers and none of them good.

Effie thought for a moment, not used to seeing the normally laid-back prince so harried. "Ah…well…I last saw him follow the queen to her chambers. That was about two hours ago…"

Yuuri stopped. Wolfram was with his mother? "Thanks, Effie."

Not waiting for her response, Yuuri headed down the hallway towards his parents' apartments. He hoped to the Great One that his father hadn't returned from whatever activity he was doing. While not cruel, King Shouri would not like a commoner traipsing about in the royal suites.

Yuuri knocked on the great wooden door to the main apartment and as soon as the maid cracked it open, Yuri shoved past her and into the room.

Not seeing his mother or Wolfram, Yuuri spun around to the flustered maid. "Where is the queen?"

"She is on the balcony, my prince," The maid replied quickly. "With Master Wolfram."

Yuuri wasn't sure what he had expected to see when he walked onto the grand balcony that overlooked the palace gardens. It certainly wasn't Wolfram kneeling on the balcony wearing a big frilly dress with a lacy apron stained with all manner of paints and his mother looking on in amusement.

"Yuu-reh!"

"Wolfram?" Yuuri said on confusion. Wolfram was surrounded by an array of small paint buckets and dirty brushes of varying sizes scattered about. The merman knelt on a big white sheet of paper that was covered in indiscernible shapes and patterns.

"Yuuri!" His mother called out cheerfully from her seat at the small table. Setting down her cup of tea, she got up to greet her youngest son. "So nice of you to join us!"

"What is going on? How'd Wolfram get here?" Yuuri said, still taking in the scene before him.

"I found him wandering about the halls and I didn't know when you would return, so I had him accompany me for the afternoon," Miko explained. "He's very inquisitive. Since he appeared to like the portraits in the halls, I thought he might like to paint. Keep him out of trouble until you returned, you see."

"Yuu-reh. Pahnt!" Wolfram squawked, pointing to the big sheet of paper that displayed his artistic skills.

It took a moment for Yuuri to register what just happened. "Did…he just talk?"

Miko beamed. "Yes. He's learned quite a few words in the past few hours. He is actually quite acute – though he bores very quickly. But he is a pleasant thing so long as you give him something to do. Here, watch!"

"Wolfie-sweetheart!" Miko called.

Wolfram immediately looked up from his painting expectantly to the queen.

Miko pointed a finger to herself. "My name?"

Wolfram smiled. "Kah-ween Mee-koh."

"Very good!" Miko said, producing a small cookie from her pocket and tossing it to Wolfram, who caught it deftly in his mouth. Yuuri just watched slack jawed.

"Your name?" Miko pointed to Wolfram.

"Woohf-ram!"

"Excellent!" Miko cheered , tossing anther cookie. "Alright, see if you can guess this one." She pointed to Yuuri.

Wolfram grinned. "Yuu-reh!"

"Perfect! I had him naming all the staff and the colors of the rainbow within an hour," Miko said happily. "I even taught him how to use his utensils properly. Now he can eat with us at dinner with no problems! He learns so quickly, it's amazing!"

"That's….actually great, Mom," Yuuri said, not really knowing what else to say. Maybe he should stop worrying so much about Wolfram. The merman was quickly proving to be very adept at adjusting to his surroundings. "But why is he wearing a dress?"

Here Queen Miko actually blushed a little. "Ah, well…he saw some of the help's own laundry out drying and he wanted to see what it was and then he wanted to put it on. I know it's inappropriate but I couldn't resist! And look at him! He's adorable!" Miko said quickly, bringing light to a guilty pleasure she had hidden from their father for years. One that Yuuri had often been the victim of.

"He's a boy, mother!" Yuuri groaned. "Look at how you've embarrassed him!"

Miko pouted. "He doesn't seem to care! I did it all the time with you and Shouri and no one said anything!"

"We were toddlers, Mother! Hardly able to say anything against it," Yuuri protested.

"Well, he seems perfectly fine," Miko pouted. "He could really pass for a girl, honestly."

Miko did have a point. In the bright blue dress and frills, Wolfram could have easily passed for a pretty little maid. Yuuri could only imagine the harassment the merman would receive if he wandered into the barracks or – gods forbid – the back streets of the Capital.

"In any case," Yuuri said at length. "I need to take him back to my rooms to get changed. Dinner will be soon and I don't think Dad will like him in a dress."

Miko sighed. "You're right. I wonder when your father lost his sense of fun."

"Me too, Mom," Yuuri said, lifting Wolfram up from his spot on the floor. "Come, we need to go," he whispered in Wolfram's ear.

"But I want to stay and finish the painting!" Wolfram said with a frown. "And I want more of those sweet crunchy things!"

"They're cookies, Wolfram," Yuuri said as he guided them out of the royal chambers.

"I want more."

"You'll get more at dinner," Yuuri said absently. "I promise. Right now, you need proper clothes."

"But I like these clothes," Wolfram said, tugging at the hem of his dress. "They're much easier to move in. My legs aren't restrained."

"Yeah, well court etiquette dictates you wear pants and a tunic," Yuuri said. "I made sure the servants got you some nicer clothes."

"Yuuri, darling?"

They had just reached the main door when Miko's inquisitive voice stopped them. "Yes, mother?"

The look on Miko's face was both confused and shocked. "Did you…..just squawk at him?"

"What?" Yuuri blinked.

"You made a squawky-clicky noise and then you chirped at him…" Miko said looking at him in disbelief.

Thinking up a lie rather quick, Yuuri groaned in frustration and pushed Wolfram out of the door. "I must be coming down with a cold. I'll see Gisela after dinner."

"Please do. It sounded awful." His mother said in genuine concern as Yuuri shut the door behind them.

As soon as they were alone, Yuuri turned on his companion. "I said to stay in my room and don't wander off!"

"I did stay!" Wolfram replied. "You said you would be back when the long stick pointed to the top and the short stick pointed to the squiggle-thing. But I waited and it moved past the squiggle thing and you weren't back so I went looking for you."

Yuuri sighed. This just wasn't his day. "I know and I'm sorry. I got caught up with work and lost track of time. But you still should have waited for me. You could've gotten lost!"

"But I didn't," Wolfram countered. "Your mother found me and she showed me around."

"And that just got me!" Yuuri said suddenly. "How did you and my mom become so close all of a sudden? She was the one who suggested you go to an asylum!"

Wolfram thought for a moment. "Well, she showed me the paintings and the statues. And then she took me to where she lived and we drank this hot brown stuff and ate the crunchy sweet things. She showed me how to hold the…_forks_ and the ….._spoons_…I didn't know what she was saying so she had to make my hands hold everything right and I just did what she did. If I did something she liked, I got another crunchy sweet thing."

"So, she basically trained you like she trains her Yorkies?" Yuuri deadpanned.

"What's a Yorkie?" Wolfram asked. Yuuri waved him off. "I'll tell you later."

"Well, I saw these _clothing_ and I wanted to try them so she let me – she actually got really excited when I wanted to try on this thing," Wolfram tugged at the dress.

"Yeah, she's…into some weird things," Yuuri explained. "But how did you learn to speak Common with her?"

It took Wolfram a moment to realize what Yuuri was talking about. "She just pointed to things or humans and said something…I figured out she wanted me to say them too, so that's what I did."

"Huh…." Wolfram was proving to be smarter than Yuuri had given him credit for. This would definitely benefit them if Wolfram had won the favor of Queen Miko. It would certainly offer him better protection from King Shouma's temper than Yuuri could. Queen Miko had an amazing ability to soften their father and make him more merciful and less stringent with his sons. While Shouri had grown to be a carbon copy of their father, Yuuri related more to his mother and her more friendlier nature. If Yuuri could trust anyone with Wolfram, it would be his mother after Murata.

"Did I do something wrong?" Wolfram's voice cut through Yuuri's thoughts.

Yuuri shook his head. "No, you're fine. It's just that you seem to have a strange effect on people, Wolfram. I hope that helps you out in the long run."

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Back in the Royal Apartments, Miko let herself get lost in her thought as her small army of chambermaids readied her for the evening meal.

'He's not so bad once you get to know him,' she thought. 'A little mischievous, but a sweet thing nonetheless…'

When her youngest son had first brought in the little foundling, Miko had no idea what had possessed him to do such a thing. Commoners were rarely allowed inside the palace and definitely not at the royal dining table. Only those of high birth could even _think_ to occupy such a place of honor and yet this little foundling had gotten himself one of the highest places of honor at the Second Prince's side.

At first, she though Wolfram was mad. Unable to eat properly or speak? Surely, the peasants knew what a fork was! She had wondered more than once just how her son was going to handle this predicament and what exactly was he planning. While kind-hearted, Yuuri had never shown any outward inclination towards charity. It seemed he had no confidence in his more philanthropic tendencies what with a father and older brother who constantly pushed him towards a military career.

Miko sighed. Her husband absolutely refused to see that Yuuri just wasn't a fighter. At best, the boy was a diplomat, a philanthropist, more interested in bettering the lives of his subjects than expanding territory and procuring wealth. Yuuri wanted to help those already under his reign, not bring more people under it. Power and gold held little interest for Yuuri if they didn't benefit those he cared about.

Perhaps, Yuuri would be better suited to a life of academia. The boy was smart and, when he wanted, he could figure things out rather quickly. He just hadn't found the right teachers. Lord von Christ did his best, but even Miko, a star student in her day, had difficulty listening to the man. He simply had no concept of editing and for someone who learned best by doing, it was pure torture for Yuuri.

The life they had set up for Yuuri just wasn't appearing to work the way it should have. Miko had watched her once vibrant and energetic boy grow quiet, even downtrodden, moving through his life with an apathetic air that she knew was not like her baby boy. The last time she had ever seen Yuuri show any real energy, any real passion, was when he was near the ocean.

And now….when he was with this little foundling. A mute foundling who must have come from a very harsh life if he couldn't even speak properly or even knew what clothes and eating utensils were!

'Poor thing. He must have come from a very cruel place…'

Now that she had spent some time with Wolfram. Miko could begin to see why Yuuri was so attached to the young man. While temperamental and far too energetic, Wolfram had a brightness about him that was hard to ignore. There was a freedom and spiritedness that she hadn't seen in a long time, not since Yuuri was a rambunctious child playing in the waves.

'Maybe he'll be the one to bring the spark back to my Yuuri's eyes and give him purpose.'

The spark was already starting to return. Miko saw it when Yuuri burst in and laid eyes on Wolfram for the first time. Miko hadn't seen Yuuri so focused on anyone before. For the first time in years, Miko saw life in Yuuri and it only showed itself when this peasant boy was around.

'Yuuri has been so lonely lately. He could use a new friend. Someone to care for and protect. Wolfram might be just the thing he needs…'

If Wolfram could make that spark return and stay within Yuuri, then Miko wouldn't mind accepting him into her life and she definitely wouldn't mind teaching the boy how to be civilized.

And if Miko could have Wolfram be her little doll to dress up from time to time, then that would just be icing on the cake!

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Hello happy people!

I am so sorry this took so long to get out! I know you all have been waiting. Every time I click on the KKM archive a little tumbleweed rolls past my screen. This fandom is all but dead. But I will write on!

A note on characterizations:

I actually try not to write Yuuri as super wimpy/cowardly/incompetent as many authors do in this fandom. I think in their blind worship of Wolfram they place an unfair emphasis in Yuuri's character flaws and I think that does a disservice to what can be done with the character. I know that Yuuri is often portrayed as childish, stupid, lazy, what have you in stories and while that is all fine and dandy, I think it ignores some very real issues. for one; Yuuri is a kid - he's 15-16 in the anime/manga. He's not going to be as brave, mature, well-educated or experienced as any of the other characters. Remember, he is a fish out of water.

So when I write Yuuri in my fics, I try to address his shortcomings and show him over coming them or place equal emphasis on his positive traits. So in this fics (and my subsequent fics) Yuuri maintains the traits that we all know and love (kind, goofy, selfless, etc) but I gave him balls - and a brain. Hope this is okay with most of you. SAme thing goes for Wolfram. He's not a victim. He's a badass fire wielding demon who is also deeply in love with with the demon king.

Thank you to everyone who left reviews. You're feedback means a lot to me and I appreciate you taking the time to leave comments. It really does help me become a better writer.

Please leave a review and I hope you all enjoyed this latest installment.

Love, EB


	8. Chapter 8

Syrena Chapter 8

Hello everyone! I'm so sorry this took so long! Thank you all for the reviews. They are always appreciated and welcome.

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Syrena Chapter 8 – Market Day

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Yuuri awoke on the floor of his bedroom again. Which was odd considering he was sure he was alone when he went to bed. Groaning, he sat up slowly and peered over the edge of the bed at his companion.

Sighing, Yuuri stood up and stretched and glared tiredly at the sleeping merman. He knew that Wolfram had a perfectly fine room. He had made sure that the servants placed the finest furniture, pillows and linens they had available. Yet, Wolfram still insisted on sneaking into Yuuri's room in the middle of the night. Yuuri wasn't even sure how the devious creature had even got in when two guards were always posted and the door was locked.

Yuuri groaned again. He remembered. Wolfram had come in during the night, as he had done for the past three nights he had been living with them, by simply flashing his large green eyes at the guards and making those pitiful noises until they couldn't help but let him in, thinking him the Second Prince's little pet who was in constant need of attention.

It was funny really, at first, the castle population hadn't known what to think of the foundling Yuuri had brought in from nowhere to live with them. Many were hesitant, even afraid of him, as Wolfram couldn't hide his wild nature even when at his best behavior. There was something about him that just spoke of the otherworldly and many didn't know how to interpret that. He was also aggressive and driven when he saw something that caught his interest, be it laundry hanging on a line or a flag pole, Wolfram would go after it, much to the shock of the servants around him.

But now, they were getting used to it. They would indulge Wolfram's curiosity and let him touch, and even lick whatever object they were holding while an embarrassed Prince Yuuri or in some cases, an amused Queen Miko would look on.

That was probably the biggest surprise of this whole adventure. Queen Miko had taken it upon herself and her handmaidens to watch Wolfram while Yuuri was busy with his studies, duties or in meetings with their father. She would take Wolfram out and teach him proper etiquette and how to speak Common and was even in the process of having him measured so he could have his own wardrobe. Wolfram had become her little pet and she indulged him the same way she indulged her Yorkies – with treats, walks, and strict but gentle discipline.

Yuuri wished Wolfram was as well-behaved with him as he was with the queen. Wolfram at best grudgingly did what Yuuri wanted, but other times, such as now, he would completely ignore Yuuri and do whatever it was he wanted – like sleep in Yuuri's bed.

Yuuri hoped to the gods that no one thought anything of Wolfram sneaking into his room. The scandal would be horrendous if rumors were to start about the two of them. Rumors were already circulating as to the origin of Wolfram and his relationship to Yuuri. Most of them were already whispering behind cupped hands as to exactly how and _why_ Yuuri would take in such a beautiful and mysterious youth.

Yuuri began to get dressed. Today would be a very special day. It was Market Day and he had promised Wolfram he would take him out to see the "other humans." Market Day was held every Saturday and it was the highlight of the people of Shin Makoku's work week. Here, they could purchase just about anything and everything in addition to being entertained by traveling gypsies, street performers, puppeteers, and theater troupes all vying for their attention and spare change.

Yuuri was sure Wolfram would love it. The merman was always curious and perfectly fine to satisfy that curiosity with or without Yuuri's supervision. A day at the market would be a perfect outing for the merman. Yuuri also hoped that he could buy some toys and other trinkets that would keep Wolfram occupied when Yuuri was taken away by his royal duties. His mother had suggested teaching Wolfram to read and told Yuuri to purchase some books as well.

Yuuri was a bit skeptical at that. Though obviously more intelligent than he let on, Yuuri didn't know if Wolfram could comprehend the concept of reading. It would certainly take a lot of effort and patience on both ends and though he had only known the merman for only a few days, Yuuri could already tell that patience wasn't Wolfram's strong suit. But mayhap, someone as pleasant and easy-going as the queen could teach him. They could at the very least get Wolfram an artbook or two, those barely had any words at all.

Wolfram stirred on the bed, his long legs tangled up even more into the silken covers. Curling himself up, the merman tried to block out the intruding sunlight when Yuuri opened the curtains to let in the mid-morning sunlight.

"Hey Wolfram," Yuuri called out as he finished getting dressed for the day. "You need to get up. Today's the day."

"What day?" Wolfram asked, voice husky from sleep. Rather than get up, he curled even further into the covers and fat pillows.

"Come on, now!' Yuuri said, tugging at an exposed toe playfully. The ensuing yelp made Yuuri smile despite himself. "We're going to miss the market."

"What's the market?" Wolfram asked, finally poking his head out from under the covers.

"Well…it's like a big gathering of people to buy things they need and there's lots of food and shows to watch. I think you'll love it," Yuuri explained. "I told you, remember?"

Intrigued, Wolfram emerged fully from the bed. "What's buy?"

Yuuri tried not to groan. While he enjoyed teaching Wolfram things, it got hard when such simple ideas had to be explained to him. Even though it wasn't Wolfram's fault at all. It still got hard sometimes.

"Well, 'buy' means to obtain something in exchange for gold," Yuuri said and hoped Wolfram would leave it at that.

Wolfram didn't. "What's gold?"

Yuuri sighed and a thought came to him. "You know what? You will see when we go."

Wolfram frowned, not liking to have to wait for an answer, but he saw that Yuuri wouldn't explain any further so with the promise of more knowledge, he got out of bed.

Yuuri watched Wolfram move about the room, his baby pink nightgown swishing about his pale legs. The first night Wolfram had tried to sleep in Yuuri's room naked, and Wolfram would only accept the nightgown as he hated having his legs bound. The blonde creature even seemed to prefer the flowing dresses Queen Miko dressed him in over boy's clothing, much to Yuuri's chagrin. Wolfram was odd enough without the cross-dressing. No matter how adorable he looked in frills.

Yes, today they would buy some proper clothing for Wolfram along with toys and books to keep him entertained.

A knock on the door caused both young men to turn around. Wolfram was the first to react and immediately went to see who it was, always ready to look at a new human.

"Hey, Wolfram! Wait a second!" Yuuri called out.

Just before reaching the door, Wolfram stopped and looked at Yuuri questioningly.

"What's wrong?"

"Put some clothes on!"

Yes, Wolfram was standing in full glory and completely shameless. Having spent his entire life naked, he really didn't understand what all the hubbub was about with the humans and their need to always cover up with itchy fabrics. Yuuri was having a hard time getting Wolfram into the habit of modesty.

Wolfram looked like one of the marble statues in the temple; perfectly smooth and pale, a work of art. Yuuri couldn't stop the blush and resulting guilt when he averted his eyes and handed Wolfram his own robe and went to answer the door himself.

Checking to make sure Wolfram had indeed put the robe on, Yuuri opened the door to reveal Murata and Conrad, all dressed in their peasant clothing and set to go.

"Took you a while!" Murata complained lightly. "We thought you two were still asleep!"

"No, Wolfram forgot to put clothes on," Yuuri said, throwing a sideways glance at the merman who stood with crossed arms.

"And how is that a problem?" Murata said with a lewd grin and knowing wink.

"Murata!" Yuuri groaned. "Seriously! Stop insinuating things!"

"Well, he spends the night in your bed and he's gorgeous. What else am I supposed to insinuate?" Murata said, still grinning. "Right, Conrad?"

Conrad merely smiled gently. "Young Master Wolfram is apparently close to the Second Prince. He finds comfort in being in his presence."

"Please call me Yuuri when it's just us, Conrad," Yuuri said for the thousandth time. Honestly, it was a running joke at this point and he suspected Conrad did it on purpose at times.

"As you wish, Yuuri," Conrad said with a nod.

"So, you ready? Oh, I doubt you've had breakfast yet!" Murata said with a huff.

"We've been up for two hours already. The Market is already open and I don't want to miss the good stuff before it's all bought up! I got my dad to give me my allowance early."

"We'll get something quick from the kitchens," Yuuri said absently, picking out some clothes for Wolfram from the wardrobe. He was thankful they were about the same size. "We just woke up a few minutes ago."

"Well, hurry up! I want to catch the eating contests!" Murata said impatiently.

Yuuri gave his friend a weird look, not even trying to understand his friend's odd interests. He handed Wolfram the bundle. "Alright, Wolfram. Get dressed."

Without hesitating, Wolfram dropped the robe in full view of Conrad and Murata and took the bundle from a surprised Yuuri.

"Get dressed in the wardrobe!" Yuuri exclaimed in exasperation brought on by his own embarrassment.

Wolfram gave Yuuri an annoyed look and proceeded to dress himself in front of everyone. Murata laughed out loud and Conrad hid his smile behind a cough.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram probably never closed his mouth the second they arrived at the town square at the center of the Grand Market. The little merman was overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, and colors that overtook him as he was led by the hand by the prince. Disguised as peasants, they could move through the crowds unnoticed and with Conrad walking discreetly behind them, they were completely safe.

The main street of the capital was lined with various booths and stands laden with different objects that Wolfram had never seen before. Too many things and he wanted to know what they all were. Every few seconds he would tug on Yuuri's hand and point to an object, silently asking what it was.

There were these large sheets called banners that hung from the windows of the buildings that lined the street. There was a booth that sold "leather goods" like "shoes, purses, belts, and other stuff." Yet another booth had little wooden toys carved from driftwood, Yuuri informed him. They passed the food market where stands sold fruits and vegetables, meats and fine wines. Booth after booth and stand after stand held many wonderful and exciting things Wolfram had never seen and wanted to know more about. He had so many questions, but Yuuri had sternly reminded him to remain quiet while they were out and Wolfram was ready to burst. There was no way he would remember all his questions later!

"Wolfram?"

Wolfram managed to tear his gaze away from a thing called an orange, when he heard his name.

Yuuri held Wolfram's gaze. Those dark eyes were the only thing that could hold his attention away from the mesmerizing sights. Yuuri's gentle smile and quiet voice helped Wolfram make sense of this strange world and gave him an anchor to which he could return when the noise became too much.

Pulling Wolfram close so no one would hear them speak "mermaidese" as Murata had named it, Yuuri whispered. "I wanted to tell you that if you see something you want, I'll buy it for you."

Wolfram's eyes widened in excitement. "Really?"

Yuuri returned the smile. "Yeah, that's why we're here. I want to get you some things to keep you busy when I'm gone and help you adjust to life on land. I know you get bored a lot."

Wolfram felt a tingle of excitement bubble up inside him. This was wonderful! He didn't have to remember everything, he could just take it with him!

"I want that," Without hesitation, Wolfram pointed to a booth selling glass figurines.

Yuuri grinned widely and they began to walk towards the booth. "Sure, which one do you want?"

"All of them…"

Within a couple of hours, Yuuri was forced to buy a large hand-pulled cart to carry all of Wolfram's purchases with Murata and Conrad's help.

Wolfram had taken Yuuri's words to heart and proceeded to buy – or have Yuuri buy – everything that caught his interest. It didn't matter what it was: fruit, jewelry, firewood, shoes for men and women, books, toys. Wolfram would pick it up and put it carefully into the cart and wander off to the next thing while Yuuri paid the pleasantly surprised vendor.

Yuuri figured he should put a stop to Wolfram's rampant shopping spree at some point. He knew he really should put some boundaries on Wolfram's behavior. He was well aware that he should tell Wolfram that there is no such thing as an infinite amount of money and that Yuuri had resulted to writing cheques and promissory notes to several vendors, which meant revealing his noble status so they wouldn't accuse him of forgery.

Once they knew he was of noble blood – though he was careful not to let them know he was of the royal family – the vendors were quick to show off their finest and most expensive wares to the ever-widening eyes of the lovely blonde. Without a single word, Wolfram would grab whatever they handed to him and with an air of finality would place it in the cart and watch Yuuri expectantly as he gave more of the round, flat gold things to the vendor and then would lead the way to the next section of the market.

"You think you want to tell him to ease up a little?" Murata grunted when he nearly tripped over a loose cobblestone in the street. The cart was becoming increasingly difficult to navigate through the crowds.

"Yuuri, do the King and Queen know that you're spending so much money?" Conrad asked carefully. He had watched the pile of goods grow bigger and bigger and more expensive as the day wore on.

"Ah…well…." Yuuri hesitated. "I brought some money with me, but I wasn't expecting him to….want so much stuff."

Yuuri trailed off as he watched Wolfram continue to indiscriminately spend the royal treasury on whatever happened to be within reach. Wolfram was currently looking over a pet vendor with an impressive array of rainbow colored parrots and cockatiels. Wolfram was playing with a juvenile parrot that cheerfully hopped onto his outstretched fingers and pecked at the seeds in Wolfram's palm.

It was the look of wonder and delight in Wolfram's face that dissolved any annoyance Yuuri felt. It was that same look that made it impossible for Yuuri to say no when Wolfram got that bright look in his face. Watching Wolfram forget himself and become so enthralled with everything around him and lose his fear and distrust of the human world rendered Yuuri helpless. He simply couldn't say no. He couldn't do anything that would make that delighted smile fade even just a little bit.

"What're you staring at?"

Yuuri was shaken out of his reverie. "Um…Wha?"

Murata raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Still under that mermaid's spell, Prince Yuuri? You were staring at Wolfram like a lovestruck puppy."

Yuuri rolled his eyes, but he felt the blush on his cheeks. "Oh shove it! I just like seeing him so free and happy, you know?"

Murata nodded, but the smirk never left. "Yeah, sure Yuuri."

Yuuri was about to retort when Wolfram approached them, still gently cupping the young parrot in his hands.

"Yuuri, I want this and the others!" Wolfram announced as the bird fluttered on its perch.

For a moment, Yuuri was about to say yes, Wolfram could absolutely have all the exotic birds for sale. But the prospect of never sleeping again thanks to a bunch of loud birds bade him stop and with more effort than he expected, he told Wolfram otherwise.

"Sorry, Wolf. You can't get all of them," Yuuri said and he almost took it back when he got a surprised and sad look from the merman. "But you can keep the one you're holding now."

Wolfram pondered Yuuri's words. He was surprised that Yuuri was saying no when before he had no problem. However, looking at the overflowing cart being pulled by both Yuuri and Murata made Wolfram rethink his desires and he nodded at the alternative offer.

"I want this one," Wolfram said quietly, lifting the small parrot to Yuuri.

"Sure, Wolfram," Yuuri smiled and he went to pay the pet vendor.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

An hour later, they had made their way, finally, past the vendors and down another wide street that held all the street performances.

Wolfram watched with rapt attention as a juggler tossed colorfully painted clubs into the air, yet another juggler joined in and the two began to juggle pins and swords between each other. The audience gasped and cheered, tossing silver and gold coins into a wooden bucket. Wolfram wondered how they got the strange objects to do that.

Past the jugglers, Wolfram ran towards a pair of fire dancers and gasped in delight when one of them breathed fire into the air much to the excitement and cheers of the crowd. Wolfram felt the tingling mix of fear and fascination as he watched the flames dance above him and the heat across his face when the spinning torches came close to him.

"Wolfram, be careful!" He heard Yuuri call out to him. Wolfram glanced behind him to see Yuuri, Murata and Conrad seated on the edge of a large fountain resting with the loaded down cart of Wolfram's new things next to them. "Stay close!"

Nodding his acknowledgement of the command, Wolfram turned back to the performance. The fire jugglers were finishing their act to Wolfram's disappointment but they were replaced by a man dressed in a garishly colorful coat and worn out top hat.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Top hat called out to the crowd. "I present our next act, the amazing Consuela and her dancing goat!"

The crowd cheered as a beautiful young woman appeared from behind a brightly painted cart with a goat. The sound of drums and flutes bean as she swayed her hips in time with the beat and worked the crowd with her exotic moves and dark beauty.

Wolfram had never seen humans move like that. Her body moved in ways similar to how the merpeople swam – with grace not found in the clunky walking that humans used to move around. The woman spun and stepped and even flipped in the air at one point all in time with the rapid music, never stumbling or missing a count and Wolfram couldn't tear his eyes from her. He wanted to dance like that! He wondered if Yuuri or Queen Miko might teach him. The woman's goat was good too. The little goat did backflips and caught the string of bells the woman would toss to him all while jumping into the air. There was even a moment where the goat balanced on the woman's shoulders before leaping off into a triple forward flip which earned the duo raucous applause from the audience.

A movement out of the corner of Wolfram's eye drew the merman's attention from the dance. Two small human-like creatures were sitting in a square hole in a wooden booth surrounded by a circlet of children on the ground. The two creatures were dressed in pointy hats and long brightly colored gowns and were hitting each other on the head. The children laughed when one of the creatures said something to the other and then produced an even bigger mallet and hit the other one.

Thinking what on earth is that could be, Wolfram wandered away from the dancers and went to get a closer look. The booth was decorated with large bows and glitter and draped with banners and streams. The little creatures in the booth were now joined by a third creature equally as colorful who began to swing at the two of them and chased them about the stage which got the children to laugh.

Wolfram didn't know what to make of it. It looked rather stupid really. And why were they so happy that the two creatures were getting beaten? Humans could be so violent.

Growing bored of the little show, Wolfram continued down the cobble road, obliviously moving further and further away from Yuuri, but too engrossed in the activity around him to notice. It wasn't until he reached the end of the road where the booths ended, the music faded away and the crowds had dissipated that he stopped and looked around.

Wolfram cringed. He had not meant to go this far. He didn't think he had been so absentminded as to forget Yuuri's instructions and get himself lost. It had been one interesting sight after another and without thinking he had moved far away form his original spot. He couldn't even see the large fountain where he had left Yuuri.

Shoving down the growing fear in his gut, Wolfram straightened himself and made to walk back where he came from. He was a merman! He had an excellent sense of direction. He wouldn't be frightened like some yearling! He would find his way back on his own.

By this time, the booths were being disassembled as the Grand Market came to a close and the sun began to set over yet another successful day of shopping and festivities. Even Wolfram felt the fatigue of the day's activities as he wandered in the direction he thought he had come from. The vendors and performers were packing up their supplies and giving Wolfram barely there glances as they had already made their money for the week and no longer needed his patronage. Wolfram went back to where he thought he had seen the small creatures and the children, but found only an empty corner and a few stray streamers on the ground, which he couldn't help but pick up drawn by their beautiful colors.

A long arm reached out from a darkened alley just inches from where Wolfram stood, grabbing the shocked merman and pulling him into the shadows. Wolfram gave a sharp grunt when he was dragged deep into the alleyway and shoved to his knees and his arms were held behind his back by a stranger and something sharp and cold was pressed to his throat.

"Hello, beautiful," A raspy voice drawled at him. "Don't make a damn noise and everything will be okay."

Wolfram peered through messed hair at his assailant – rather two assailants. One had him kneeling on the ground and the other held a large hunting knife to his neck. They were about Conrad's size but much burlier and rougher. They stunk of the streets and dark underbelly of the Capital. Far away from the happy and safe streets of the market these men had waited and watched as the pretty boy came too close to the trap they had set for oblivious shoppers.

"Alright, boy," Said the one with the knife. "I want all your money and jewelry now!"

Wolfram stared at them in growing anger and fear. He didn't understand what they were asking him. He only knew of the words Queen Miko had taught him and they were not what these men were saying in their gravelly, threatening voices.

"Didn't you hear me? Hand over your money!" The man barked, pressing the knife even deeper into Wolfram's neck. Wolfram winced when he felt the prick of the blade. He returned the man's words with a deep hiss meant as a warning.

The man stepped back in confusion. "What're you? Some kind of animal? Ain't you speak Common?"

"Maybe he's a foreigner," said the one holding Wolfram in place and trying not to be distracted by the merman's unusual beauty.

The other man swore under his breath and knelt down in front of Wolfram. The merman outright growled, showing his teeth and struggling against his bonds. This earned him a rough slap to the face from the thief.

"Shut up!"

The lead thief carelessly undid the buttons of Wolfram's tunic, tearing aside the fine cloth to look for hidden pockets filled with coins that many nobility had as a deterrent from thieves. Wolfram squirmed as a calloused hand ran along his chest and sides at first search and then becoming lascivious as they lingered far longer than necessary.

The lead thief smirked. "Aren't you soft? Such a pretty one, we got, right Kev?"

Kev nodded, tightening his grip on Wolfram in excitement. "Yeah, Jim. 'E's a pretty one. Can we take him for a ride, you think?"

The thief called Jim grinned back, looking at Wolfram with a cruel glint in his eye. "I believe so. He ain't got anything on him worth stealing. We need to get something for our trouble, no?"

'_Let go of me!'_ Wolfram shouted. The thieves stared at him.

"What kind of wail was that?" Jim said in mild disgust.

"He sounds like a dying seagull, Jim!" Kev added, looking down at Wolfram like he was insane.

'_Let go of me now! Yuuri!'_ Wolfram cried out, his anger was gradually becoming fear as the men burst out laughing.

"He does sound like a dying seagull!" Jim guffawed eight in Wolfram's face. "Like a sea lion in heat or a tone deaf humpback whale!"

"Are ya one of those deaf and dumbs, boy?" Kev sneered at Wolfram. "Can't hear how ugly you sound?"

"He's gonna be making more of them sounds in a bit," Jim drawled, yanking off the rest of Wolfram's tunic and revealing his bare chest to the lustful men. "Lovely…"

Kev leaned over to get a better look as Jim began to undo the ties of Wolfram's trousers when Wolfram saw his opportunity. Letting his instincts kick in, Wolfram let his head drop to his chest and then pulled it back up as hard as he could, clopping Kev in the chin. This caught Kev off guard, who let go of Wolfram to hold his now bleeding tongue that he had accidentally bitten from the impact. Wolfram leapt to his feet and turned to face the curing thief.

"Little bastard!" Kev hissed behind his hands. "I'm gonna kill you, right after a tear that arse of yours!"

Wolfram only hissed in response and with an inhuman speed leapt up and tackled the thief pinning him to the ground. Wolfram's fingernails extended into razor-sharp claws and buried themselves into the thug's neck. The man stared up at Wolfram in horror, eyes as big as plates as Wolfram's claws punctured his trachea and he began to choke on his own blood.

It felt good. It really felt good to be back in the role of the hunter. Everyone had treated him like an invalid, like a clueless foundling, but they didn't know. They didn't know that underneath the big green eyes and golden blonde hair was an experienced and ruthless hunter of the sea that even the great whites and the tiger sharks knew to avoid. Wolfram grinned down at his prey, revealing two inter-locking rows of teeth like interlocking knives meant to tear and shred.

The man tried to scream, but it came out as an indiscernible gurgle as blood poured into his lungs. He grabbed at Wolfram's arms in a futile attempt to get him off, but the merman was immovable and very content to watch his attacker die slowly.

A large weight suddenly dislodged Wolfram from his perch atop his prey. Wolfram rolled over into a crouching position and snarled up at the other thug, who until that point had stood in absolute shock as his friend was taken down by some skinny pretty boy.

The man, Jim, pointed his long knife at Wolfram, but the merman could see and smell the fear coming off of him in waves. It stimulated his primal urges and bade him attack. It had been too long since he had eaten human flesh and he felt it.

"You-you little asshole! What kind of freak are you!?" Jim demanded, his voice shaky from fear and anger at his friend's fate. "I'll kill you!"

The man ran forward with a great shout. Wolfram waited just a split second and when the man was inches away, he side-stepped the blade and grabbed the man in a parody of a hug and sank his teeth into the man's throat, taking enjoyment out of hearing the tendons and flesh tear and snap under his jaws - six times more powerful than that of a human's. The man choked and then fell under Wolfram's weight to the ground, knife clanking to the side. Wolfram barely noticed as he felt his body react to the taste of human blood and flesh as he forgot himself, forgot Yuuri, forgot the market and his new playthings and was once again, a merman.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yuuri was panicking.

He was ready to just punch himself in the face and he was tempted to ask Conrad to do just that. He had lost Wolfram. God, he was an idiot!

He couldn't believe it. They had only sat down for a little while to catch their breath and rearrange some of the purchases in their cart to make it easier to carry. Wolfram had gone off to watch a street juggler and Yuuri had told him to stay close. Ten minutes hadn't gone by when Yuuri looked up to make sure Wolfram was still watching the jugglers and the newly turned human was nowhere to be found.

It was Yuuri's shocked cry that alerted Murata and Conrad that something was amiss.

"Wolfram's gone!" He cried, looking left and right for some indication of where Wolfram might have gone. "He's gone!"

"He can't be…." Murata said, sounding equally upset. "Damn it!"

"We shouldn't panic," Conrad said, standing up from his seat calmly. "He can't have gone far."

But Yuuri wasn't sure. Though the market was beginning to die down, there were still hundreds of people out. Wolfram could be anywhere and only Suijin knew what he could get himself into. Wolfram had no concept of danger or caution. He could get robbed or kidnapped or god forbid, raped if he wandered too far into the wrong part of the city. The dangers were endless and Yuuri was about to have a heart attack just thinking of it.

"Where do you think he could've gone?" Yuuri asked, eyes flittering around the courtyard.

"Well, we know he was watching the jugglers. Maybe he went further into the performance street?" Murata suggested. "I'm sure he would've gone to look at the other acts."

Yuuri nodded. That sounded reasonable and like Wolfram. The merman would've been drawn to the dancers and puppets shows just beyond the juggling acts. Without another word, Yuuri started toward the jugglers while Murata and Conrad picked up the cart with a groan and followed as fast as they could.

They searched all the acts. They went past the jugglers, then the dancers, the puppeteers, the fire-breathers, the musicians and everyone else in the streets. They stopped and asked – and occasionally bribed – some performers to tell them if they saw a young blonde man in their audience. While most of them did recall a beautiful boy about Yuuri's age watching them intensely, none had seen where he had wandered off. Growing increasingly worried and frustrated, Yuuri, Murata and Conrad continued their search up and down the street until the sun began to set over the city and the market came to a gradual close. As the vendors and traders packed their wares, Yuuri became even more agitated as they failed to find any sign of their aquatic friend.

The bells of the city clock tolled five in the evening. The sun was just beginning to set behind the horizon and the three friends finally collapsed on a random bench, tired from their search.

"I can't believe we lost him," Yuuri said, sounding as if he was on the verge of tears. "I totally failed in the one responsibility I cared about."

"Wolfram isn't a fool, he will certainly find a way to survive on grit alone," Murata tried to comfort Yuuri, even though he was doubtful himself."

"This city is huge, Murata! If he's not in the market area then he could be anywhere! And we searched every nook and cranny imaginable!" Yuuri cried, slumping forward in exhaustion and running a hand through messy black hair. "There's all kinds of thugs and perverts out there who might take advantage of him! Oh god, what if he's been sold to a brothel!?"

The thought of Wolfram being exploited by a bunch of filthy, rough hooligans made Yuuri jump to his feet to begin the search anew.

"We have to find him!" He shouted, running towards the street where the performances had been. Something inside told him to look again, they could have overlooked something – a clue perhaps.

"Yuuri!" Yuuri ignored the cries of his friends and continued to search frantically down the now empty streets save for a few dawdlers. He peered down the dark alleyways that branched from the main road, maybe Wolfram was in one of them. He knew that when the merman became overwhelmed he would retreat to a small, dark place to get away from the noise. The market was noisy enough and the alleys provided plenty of places for him to hide. Yuuri only needed to find the right one.

Much too soon, Yuuri reach the end of the street and stopped. He heard Conrad and Murata come up behind him with the cart.

"He is not here, Yuuri," Conrad said gently. "Maybe he found his way back to the palace?"

That could be a possibility, but Yuuri didn't want to take the gamble. The towers of the palace were clearly visible from every point in the city, but he wasn't sure if Wolfram knew to follow them. No, he couldn't just leave.

"If we go back to the palace, we can put out a search for him and we'll be able to cover more ground that way," Murata suggested. "We can even announce a reward to anyone who can find him."

That was reasonable. They would certainly increase their chances of finding the merman. But Yuuri couldn't bring himself to move. He wouldn't feel right again until Wolfram was safe at his side.

Yuuri refused to go home without Wolfram. They would have to drag him kicking and screaming if they tried to convince him to go back. Wolfram was under his protection and his care, he couldn't leave knowing that Wolfram was somewhere unprotected and alone.

"Come on, Yuuri. Wolfram's tough and we can head back and get help," Murata said, reaching for Yuuri's arm.

Yuuri roughly yanked it out of reach. "I'm not leaving without him! Go home if you want, but I won't rest until-"

Yuuri cut himself off when he saw a familiar figure walk slowly out from one of the alleyways just behind Murata. Yuuri's felt a swell of relief as he pushed past his surprised friends all while silently hoping this wasn't an illusion.

"Wolfram? Wolfram!" Yuuri shouted, overcome with joy.

Yes, there standing in the mouth of the alley was Wolfram, looking calm and unharmed as he watched Yuuri approach him. The merman tensed for only a second before Yuuri pulled him into a big hug.

"Oh thank the Great One! Thank Shinou, you're okay!" Yuuri gasped, all the tension from his body melting away now that Wolfram was back where he belonged. "You had me scared half to death!"

"I'm….sorry," Wolfram muttered into Yuuri's shoulder. Not familiar with this behavior. "I got lost."

"Yeah, you did!" Yuuri said pulling away to inspect Wolfram for any injuries. "I told you not to wander off!"

"I was looking at the lady with the goat and then the tiny creatures in a box that hit each other…" Wolfram explained.

"You have to let me know if you want to go look at something! I had no idea where you were! Suijin knows what could've happened to you and – where are your clothes?"

"What?" Wolfram said in confusion.

Yuuri stepped away to look at Wolfram in his entirety. "What happened to the clothes I gave you? Where did you get those?"

"Oh…." Wolfram looked down at his new attire. The clothes Yuuri gave him were stained in blood and he didn't want Yuuri to be mad at him for ruining them, so he found some clothes hanging on a line and switched them out. In all honesty, he thought these were more comfortable.

"These are peasants' clothing. What did you do with the ones I gave you?" Yuuri asked.

Wolfram thought for a moment. "The old ones got dirty, so I found these."

"How did they get dirty?" Yuuri looked at him in confusion and concern.

Wolfram shrugged. "They just got dirty and I didn't want to wear them anymore."

Yuuri looked as if he would press the matter, but he was so relieved to see Wolfram alive and well that he let it go. Wolfram had plenty of clothes at home and they could always make him more if needed.

"Alright, Wolf. I'm just glad you're okay," Yuuri said, taking Wolfram's hand and heading toward the palace. "We need to get back home anyway. We've already been out longer than planned. Just be more careful next time, okay?"

Wolfram nodded. "Okay, Yuuri."

The group made their way back to the castle, all were exhausted rom the day's events. The group was too far away to hear the blood-curdling scream of a laundrywoman who had come out to retrieve her clothes from the line to find the two mangled bodies of the thieves Kev and Jim.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * *

After dinner, Yuuri decided to take Wolfram on an official tour of the palace. After the day's events, he thought it would help them both relax before heading off to bed.

Despite losing Wolfram and flying into a panic and having to explain to his parents why the monthly statement from the treasurer would be a little different this time, Yuuri was pleased with how the day turned out. Wolfram had everything he needed to keep himself occupied and to learn about the human world. Yuuri couldn't wait to teach Wolfram about their ways and maybe even take him to some places outside of the capital to show him the landscape. He had a feeling Wolfram might like the mountains.

They now found themselves wandering the gardens in the quiet of early evening. Wolfram was trying to find the source of a strange noise he was hearing. Yuuri explained to him that it was a nightingale and that he wouldn't find it in the dark. But Wolfram still kept his gaze up at the trees, looking for the little bird. Yuuri couldn't help but smile.

After a time, Wolfram gave up the search and began his usual penchant of asking Yuuri a thousand questions.

"What are these, Yuuri?" Wolfram asked, pointing to the beds of flowers.

"They're called daffodils," Yuuri answered.

"All of them?" Wolfram asked, staring at the vast shapes and colors of the 'daffodils.'

Yuuri shook his head and prepared himself for a long explanation. "Just those. They all have different names."

"These?" Wolfram pointed to another flowerbed.

"Those are irises," Yuuri said, following Wolfram down the garden path.

"These?" He pointed to another flowerbed.

"Roses."

"And these?"

"Gardenias."

"They smell nice."

"Yeah, they do," Yuuri said, watching Wolfram's touch and smell the flowers. "Most flowers smell really nice and they're very beautiful."

"Is that all they're for?" Wolfram asked, absently pinching the petal of a daisy.

"Some of them can be used for medicine," Yuuri pointed to a corner of the garden. "That plot over there belongs to the royal physician, Gisela. She grows flowers and other plants to make ointments and potions to help people feel better."

"I like them," Wolfram said simply. "I like flowers."

Yuuri smiled. "I'm glad you do."

'They're not as pretty as you, though,'

Yuuri had to stop and wonder where that thought came from. It came unbidden into his thoughts as he watched Wolfram meander about the gardens just ahead of him. Even if it was true.

'Wolfram's beauty rivals the flowers.'

Yuuri almost had to slap himself. First, for thinking that about a boy and second, for thinking of it in the first place.

'Rivals the flowers….I've been listening to Gunter's rambling way too much,' Yuuri thought to himself.

"Hey Wolfram?" Yuuri decided he needed a distraction.

Wolfram peeked up at Yuuri from where he was kneeling in front of some leafy plant, staring at a caterpillar.

"What kinds of plants do you have under the ocean?"

Wolfram looked back at the slowly crawling bug and thought for a moment. "We don't have plants. They're alive. They look like those dan-dee-lie-ohns over there. They eat small fish and sea slugs. I don't know how to explain it…."

Yuuri thought for a minute. "Sea anemones? "

"What are those?"

"They're what you described. They have lots of thin little tentacles that look like dandelion petals. I saw one in the market one day," Yuuri explained.

Wolfram nodded. "Yeah….then there's the kelp forests and the rainbow moss on the rocks. But nothing like these."

"It must be beautiful though," Yuuri said, trying to imagine what Wolfram's world might look like. "Everything is floating around you, completely weightless. I think it'd be fun to be a merman for a day."

"You really think that?" Wolfram said with a raised eyebrow. He had never heard of a human wanting to be a mermaid.

Yuuri looked down and blushed. "Yes, actually….I don't like my life as a prince sometimes…..Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a life of no responsibilities and no worries. Just me swimming in the ocean."

"It's a hard life," Wolfram said quietly. "The ocean can be dangerous."

Yuuri sniffed. "You sound like my mom. The ocean can't be more dangerous than the land. We have wars and conflicts and politics. I can't stand it. I just don't want to be a part of it."

"We have to hunt and fight to survive," Wolfram countered. "We don't have markets and people who bring us food when we want. We have to find it ourselves."

"I can handle that," Yuuri insisted, imagining himself as a merman. "I used to hunt squirrels and fish all the time when I was a kid. I was good at it."

Wolfram said nothing. His mind had drifted back to thought of his home and all the beauties and dangers it held. He remembered hiding among the kelp waiting for a large sunfish to pass by so he and his companions could attack it from below. He thought of hunting sea lions and porpoises as a team with his brother Gwendal and occasionally, his mother when she wasn't birthing more younglings for the colony. Some days were better than others. Most of the time, Wolfram spent his days scavenging for shellfish, lobsters and crabs along the sea floor. Fishing took a lot of energy and skill. Big game often took cooperation and luck. Many days, Wolfram found it easier to just search among the rocks and seaweed for small prey alone. It meant going hungry occasionally, but it always worked out.

"Wolfram?"

"Huh?" Wolfram was broken out of his thoughts at Yuuri's gentle voice.

"What're you thinking about?" Yuuri asked. "Were you thinking of me as a merman?"

Wolfram snorted. "You wouldn't last a day as a merman! You'd get killed by a shark before you knew what was going on!"

"Yes, I could!" Yuuri insisted. "I couldn't fare any worse than you could as a human!"

"I've been faring quite well," Wolfram said, crossing his hands over his chest.

"Sure, getting lost on your first day out of the palace is doing quite well," Yuuri said dryly. "And let's not mention all the expensive furniture you've managed to destroy since getting here!"

Wolfram glared at him. "Well, I didn't know those things would break so easily! Everything in your world is so delicate it's a wonder you all don't break things on a regular basis! You should make them better!"

Yuuri was about to retort when a movement form the corner of his vision made him pause. Recognition dawned on him and he quickly grabbed Wolfram's forearm and pulled him towards some bushes.

"Hey, what are-"

"Hush!" Yuuri hissed, hiding them both among the leaves.

"What's going on?" Wolfram whispered, following the line of Yuuri's gaze.

"It's Shouri and his boyfriend, Emile," Yuuri whispered back.

Coming onto the same path they had just been on, a young man walked toward their hiding place followed by Shouri. The young man was incredibly handsome with light brown hair and blue eyes, dressed in the uniform of the palace guards and looked to be only slightly older than Yuuri. This was the lover Shouri kept secret from their parents and the entire nobility – this was Emile.

"I've missed you these past few days," Emile said with a cute pout.

Shouri sighed. "I missed you too. I've just been caught up with my duties and father has been particularly demanding. I think it's because of Yuuri running around with that foundling."

"I think it's incredibly sweet of Prince Yuuri to take in the foundling," Emile said. "I think more people should do things like that. Especially the privileged."

"It's still reckless," Shouri said in frustration. "If only you knew where he found that boy, you'd know why it has me so stressed out!"

Yuuri felt his blood run cold. If Shouri revealed their secret, Wolfram would be in grave danger.

"Where did he find him?"

"I don't know," Shouri said after a brief pause. "Yuuri found him on the beach and blackmailed me into helping him bring the boy back."

Emile frowned. "How did he blackmail you?"

Shouri hesitated. "He….said he would tell our father about us…."

Yuuri wanted to slap Shouri for talking. It wasn't like he would actually make good on his threat! As if he could ever be that cruel.

Emile paled. "He….knows of us? How did he find out?"

Shouri blushed. "He…saw you sneak out of my rooms a few weeks ago…"

Emile gasped and blushed too. "Oh Gods, no! Will he tell, Shouri?"

"No, no, I don't think he will!" Shouri said quickly. "Yuuri's too soft-hearted for that."

"But he blackmailed you into helping the foundling!" Emile said worriedly.

"Yuuri and I have agreed to keep each other's secret," Shouri explained. "He keeps quiet about you. I keep quiet about the mer-homeless boy."

"Why would you keep quiet about the foundling?" Emile asked. "Didn't your parents already agree to let him stay?"

"There's more to the him than meets the eye, my love," Shouri said cryptically. "And that's all I can really tell you for now. You must trust me on this. For the sake of our love."

Emile seemed to be skeptical. He scrutinized Shouri's pleading expression and looked torn between pressing the matter and letting it go.

"You're not going to tell me anymore than that?"

Shouri nodded. "Yes. Even though I know you would never tell anyone. A promise is a promise. So far, Yuuri hasn't told a soul about us since he found out."

Emile sighed. "Very well then….I feel uneasy about this, Shouri…."

Shouri tucked a piece of stray hair behind Emile's ear, his smile suddenly turning wolfish. "I know, darling….I bet I could take your mind off of things, though."

Emile peered at Shouri through long lashes, his own smile becoming flirtatious. "And how so?"

Snaking his arms around Emile's waist, Shouri pulled him close till they were flush against each other and their faces were mere inches apart. "Like this…"

"Oh god, no. I don't want to see this!" Yuuri said in disgust from their spot inside the bushes. He covered his face and turned away from the couple. "I do _not_ need to watch my brother make out with Emile!"

"What is 'make-out'?" Wolfram asked, he didn't look away from the couple.

"Don't look, Wolfram!"

But Wolfram didn't turn away. In fact, he leaned forward to get a better look at what in Ryujin's name Shouri was doing with that human. It looked like they were trying to eat each other's faces. But what purpose could eating each other's faces serve?

"Yuuri, why are they licking each other's mouths?" Wolfram whispered, not able to tear his eyes away.

"That's…that's…Wolfram, stop watching them!" Yuuri whispered harshly from behind his hands. This was beyond awkward.

"Your brother is sticking his tongue in the other's mouth!" Wolfram said in awe. "Is he looking for something?"

"Oh my god, Wolf!" Yuuri groaned quietly, trying to pull Wolfram's gaze from the display, but it was futile. "They'll see you!"

"I don't see how they can see me when their eyes are closed and their faces are smushed together," Wolfram said, still watching them in rapt attention. This was certainly new. He had never seen humans do this before!

Wolfram watched as the embrace became even more passionate as Shouri and Emile forgot their surroundings and became entirely entranced with each other. Wolfram watched Shouri slowly drag his hand down Emile's back to cup his buttocks and he began to slowly back Emile up until the other man's back was pressed against a tree. Emile responded with a light moan and hooked a leg around Shouri's hip and the two started to grind their crotches together.

"Yuuri, look at what they're doing!" Wolfram tugged at Yuuri's wrist, but the prince refused to budge. "They're smushing their fronts together now! What are they doing?"

"I think I'm gonna throw up!" Yuuri groaned behind his hands. "That horndog, Shouri!"

Wolfram rolled his eyes and continued to watch. Maybe he would figure out what was going on if he paid attention. By now, Shouri had undone the buttons of Emile's jacket and shirt, revealing the flat planes of his chest. Shouri began to kiss down Emile's neck and continued his journey until he reached the edge of Emile's pants.

Emile gasped lightly. "My prince, you shouldn't!"

"I want to," Shouri murmured against Emile's stomach. "Let me show you how much I missed you."

"Oh, Shouri," Emile breathed, face flushed as his hands entangled themselves into Shouri's hair.

Wolfram was getting more confused. Why was Shouri taking Emile's pants off? Though the weather wasn't cold, it was still a tad chilly for going naked. Wolfram really wanted to get naked too. He still wasn't used to the clothes that humans wore. They could be itchy at times.

Oh…Shouri meant to clean it apparently…with his mouth….Wolfram had seen the cat and dog creatures around the palace that licked their own crotches clean, but he didn't know humans did it to each other. Maybe it was because they weren't as flexible as dogs and cats…did they do it to their young as well?

Emile seemed to really like it. He was moaning and whispering things like 'yes' and 'more.' Wolfram found this terribly strange. He would ask Yuuri if he would do it to him sometime. The merman wanted to see what this was all about.

"Yuuri, why is Shouri cleaning the other human's front-bit with his mouth?" Wolfram whispered.

Yuuri turned a pale green color. "Oh Shinou the Great One! Wolfram, we need to leave now!"

Wolfram pouted, but shrugged and stood up in plain view to head back to the castle.

"Not that way, you idiot!" Yuuri cried.

Yuuri's outburst was drowned out by Emile's surprised scream.

Wolfram stared at Emile as the soldier yanked Shouri off his crotch and pulled up his pants with amazing speed. Shouri meanwhile spun around in shock to see who had stumbled upon them. His shock became anger when he saw Wolfram standing in the middle of the shrubbery with a mortified Yuuri slowly standing up next to him.

"What in hell are you two doing out here!?" Shouri shouted, looking absolutely livid.

"H-hey Shouri…and Emile," Yuuri laughed nervously. "I was just showing Wolfram the gardens and stuff. Just relaxing…"

"How much did you see?" Shouri said through clenched teeth.

"See? We didn't see a thing! We were looking at bushes. Right, Wolfram?" Yuuri said very quickly.

Wolfram looked between Yuuri's nervous grin and Shouri's angry stare. He looked at Emile, who gaze was turned downward in embarrassment and fear. He didn't know why though. He had not understood the conversation the two had before they began to eat each other's faces.

"So…um…we're going to go now. It's late and Wolfram's tired…so….goodnight!" Yuuri chirped and grabbed Wolfram's arm, dragging the surprised boy behind him.

"Yuuri!"

Yuuri stopped and nervously turned to face his brother. "Yeah, Shouri?"

The look on Shouri's face was odd mix of emotions. It was embarrassment; it was fearful, angry, and lustful all in one. But beneath all of that, it was pleading.

"Remember our agreement…"

Yuuri's own embarrassment melted away into seriousness. "Of course, Shouri. I promised."

Shouri visibly relaxed. "Thank you."

Yuuri nodded and he and Wolfram headed back to the palace in silence.

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"That….was awful!"

Yuuri collapsed onto his bed in a huff. "I did not need to see that…and I really didn't need you describing everything to me, either!"

Wolfram stood in the middle of the room, still thinking about what he had seen. "Yuuri, what were they doing?"

"Ugh, you really want to know?" Yuuri sighed, looking up from the bed in annoyance.

Wolfram nodded eagerly. "Yes. Why were they touching each other like that?"

"Well…." Yuuri searched for the right way to explain it. "They're lovers. When two humans want to be…mates…they touch each other like that."

"Why?"

"It's how they show they like each other," Yuuri explained, he could feel the heat in his face.

"By licking each other's crotches?" Wolfram was trying to make sense of it all.

Yuuri grimaced. The image of Shouri sucking off Emile came unbidden to his memory. "That's one way…"

Yuuri suddenly sat straight up and pointed a warning finger to Wolfram "Don't you ever have someone do that to you! Ever! Got it?"

Wolfram blinked. "Can you do it to me?"

"Oh god, no!" Yuuri cried. "You don't do that with friends! Only mates!"

"What about that other thing?" Wolfram asked. "When they were licking their faces?"

"That's called kissing," Yuuri said, glad to be off the subject of oral stimulation. "It's another way of showing you like someone."

"Will you kiss me?"

As if possible, Yuuri felt his face grow hotter. "No…friends don't do that either…"

Wolfram frowned. "You don't like me?"

"Of course, I like you!" Yuuri said quickly. "I like you a lot. But friends show they like each other in a different way."

"Like how?"

"Like hugging and sitting together in the window like you and I do all the time," Yuuri enlightened.

"Oh…" Wolfram went quiet and then another question came to him.

"Why were they acting so frightened of you and me? I thought mating was normal here," Wolfram inquired, coming to sit next to Yuuri on the bed.

"Well…it's really complicated," Yuuri said, sitting up to face Wolfram. "Shouri and Emile…aren't really supposed to be mates."

"Why not?" Wolfram really wanted to understand. Merfolk mated all the time and no one got upset about it.

Yuuri sighed. He didn't know how to explain such a social taboo to someone as innocent as Wolfram. For all his obliviousness, even Yuuri knew of the laws in place that maintained "order" in the kingdom. Particularly the sexual taboos that a member of the royal family should never engage in.

"Emile and Shouri are both males….male humans can't mate with each other. It's abnormal," Yuuri said slowly, not really looking at Wolfram.

Comprehension dawned on Wolfram. "Is it against one of your laws you told me about?"

"Yes…and no…" Yuuri said. "It's hard to explain. There's no formal law against it and there are people who do that sort of thing. But it's not accepted. And as the Crown Prince, Shouri _really_ can't do that sort of thing. He should marry a woman of noble blood. If the nobility found out….I don't think even Dad could help him."

"Really?"

Yuuri nodded sadly. He really felt sorry for his brother and Emile. "If anyone were to find out, Shouri could be in big trouble…and I don't even want to think about what they would do to Emile. They would blame him for 'corrupting' the crown prince."

"What would they do?" Wolfram couldn't help but ask.

Yuuri met Wolfram's gaze with grim finality. "They would kill him. Burn him at the stake like a criminal…"

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Chapter eight everyone!

Thank you all so much for your continued support and reviews! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I worked really hard to write it. Had to get through a bout of writer's block but I pushed through.

Graduate school is kicking my ass harder than undergraduate. But it's going okay. I use writing my fan fiction to help me relax and get me in the writing mood when it comes time to do those really intellectual, boring essays. Ugh.

I wanted to emphasize Wolfram's more animalistic nature. While he is relatively tame and sweet now that he's with Yuuri and integrated himself into palace, he is still a deadly hunter, far from being domesticated. The two thieves learned the hard way that while he may be human and naive, Wolfram is still not to be messed with.

The last scene with Shouri was probably my favorite to write. So many times, he is portrayed as a stick in the mud and rather annoying in fan fics so I wanted to give him his own story and invoke sympathy for his plight. He's really not as bad as he seems. Just has his won frustrations and drama to deal with as heir to the throne.

There will be a time skip in the next chapter as I feel I've established the characters and world sufficiently enough to get the juicy part of the plot going.

As always please review and leave your comments. I always want to hear from you even if it's negative. I just ask that if you're going to critique me, make sure it's constructive so I can improve next time.


	9. Chapter 9

Syrena Chapter 9

Oh my goodness. I am so sorry for the long update. Hopefully, you all haven't died from neglect.

Thank you everyone for all the reviews! I am so glad that you are enjoying this little fiction of mine. It really means a lot to me. I'm sorry updates are slow. I'm preparing to start the spring semester of graduate school and I am trying not to be nervous.

Please enjoy, and tell me what you think! – EB

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Syrena chapter 9 – A Mess It Grows

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Hours, days, and weeks went by and before anyone knew it, Wolfram had spent three months living at the palace. In three months, the wild little foundling had managed to integrate himself into palace life and become a favorite of the residents. Where he was once stared at and feared he was now beloved by all, especially the Queen and her youngest son.

Wolfram had brought new life to the stuffy palace. He ran about the halls and played in the gardens, asking questions in his weird, broken version of Common, which he had learned in record time thanks to the efforts of the Queen and the tutor Gunter. Though his speech was that of a young child, Wolfram could communicate with relative ease with the other inhabitants, though this did lead to some funny moments that only further endeared him to everyone.

Wolfram proved time and time again that he was fiercely intelligent. Much to the amazement of Yuuri and Murata, Wolfram beat the odds and was learning to read simple children's books under the patient tutelage of Queen Miko, who treated Wolfram like a third son and doted upon him endlessly. The merman had even picked up simple mathematics, astronomy, zoology, and even anthropology, after stealing Yuuri's own textbooks and raiding the library, picking up any book that caught his attention. Nothing was too complicated or too boring. This had the much appreciated affect of forcing Yuuri to stay on top of his own studies so he could always be prepared to answer any and all questions from his new friend – and suffer not the embarrassment of being less educated than a merman.

But what Wolfram loved above all else was art. Wolfram loved to tour the grand art gallery of the palace and admire the statues and paintings that decorated the halls and rooms of the palace. Gradually, Wolfram's own paintings began to share space with the works of famous artists along the hallways and rooms of the palace. They were strange geometric shapes that he claimed were portraits of the people he saw and others were of things no human had ever seen before for none had lived miles under the surface of the ocean.

Yes, Wolfram had managed to win over everyone, even Shouri had grown fond of him and the stern King Shouma had grown accustomed to having him join the royal family during meals. King Shouma had noticed the positive change that Wolfram had inspired in his second son. Yuuri was being more responsible and prompt with his duties, all so he could spend more time with the foundling but Shouma wasn't complaining. He liked seeing Yuuri actually apply himself to his studies and his duties, which made his interactions with the second prince less strained and for the first time in many years, Shouma felt like he could regard his son with something other than vexation.

The summer was quickly coming to an end and the palace was made busy by the upcoming arrival of Edward Norwich and his daughter, Lady Amelia. The one thing Yuuri had tried to put off time and time again had arrived despite his best efforts to act like it didn't exist. He would have to face Lady Amelia and the prospect of being married to someone he had never met – all for the sake of exterminating more merpeople.

Yuuri's attitude towards the merpeople had completely changed. Before he had been apathetic and at best, regarded the creatures with pity. But ever since he met Wolfram, he became adamant that the continuing strife between their species was pointless and that more killing was not the answer. The merpeople were not mindless monsters – Wolfram was proof of that – they were simply misunderstood.

Knowing that his marriage would mean the end of the merpeople colonies that lived off-shore from the kingdom put Yuuri in a down mood as servants put up banners and streamers in the garden as part of the welcoming party for the Norwich family.

That thought haunted Yuuri as he watched the preparations for the Norwich arrival while sitting in the gardens with Wolfram. Wolfram was sitting just beyond Yuuri, playing with a length of streamer a maid had given him. He was absently twirling back and forth watching mesmerized at how it moved. So completely at peace that Yuuri couldn't help but feel a little jealous…and a little worried.

Yuuri hadn't brought up the topic of Lady Amelia. All he had told Wolfram was that some important guests were coming to visit and that was it. He knew that soon Wolfram would figure it out – the merman was too smart to remain ignorant and Yuuri knew he would have to explain. But as long as he could put it off, he would.

There was no real reason to not tell Wolfram the truth. But something in Yuuri hesitated. It wasn't the normal laziness of not wanting to explain the intricacies of arranged marriages and business deals, though that was part of it. No, it was something a little deeper and a little more disturbing.

Yuuri didn't want to tell Wolfram about Amelia because he was afraid of losing him. In a matter of weeks, Wolfram had become the single most important person in Yuuri's life – more than his family and more than his friends. Yuuri's life had become divided into two time periods; before Wolfram and after Wolfram. Yuuri couldn't imagine what he had been doing with his life before Wolfram had washed up on the beach. That day seemed so long ago and yet it wasn't. Wolfram had inserted himself into Yuuri's life and his every thought.

Tomorrow…..the Norwich family would be arriving tomorrow and Yuuri's life would change.

Yuuri worried about what would happen when he was inevitably forced to marry this girl. He knew he would never be able to get out of it without singlehandedly causing a grave offense. He did know that the nights spent with Wolfram sleeping in his room or staying up late talking about this and that would end. The trips out into the city, the markets and the theater would have to stop too because those were trips only a husband and wife would take. All of Yuuri's free time would be spent getting to know his wife…and fathering children.

'I'd have to give up Wolfram…and I don't want to….'

Yuuri continued to watch Wolfram play with his streamer. 'What would happen to Wolfram? Will he be allowed to stay?'

"Good afternoon, your Majesty!"

Yuuri was jolted out of his musings as Murata sat down next to him on the stone bench with an easy grin on his face. "What's got you so down and out on this fine day?"

Yuuri calmed down and went back to staring ahead. "Just thinking…"

"Excited about meeting your new wife?" Murata said with a crooked smile. Yuuri groaned.

"I haven't even met the girl, yet!" he said. "Chances are she'll hate me."

"I'm sure she won't hate you," Murata said with a chuckle. "You're too hard on yourself."

"Girls don't typically swoon for me," Yuuri said flatly. "That's Shouri's business."

"You never know," Murata said. "She might be into clumsy, easily-flustered, goofy princes of average intelligence."

"Thanks, Murata," Yuuri said dryly, even though he was holding back a smile. "That makes me feel so much better."

Changing the subject, Murata leaned in close to whisper. "Besides, whether she likes you or not doesn't appear to be an issues as I see you have your eye on someone else…"

"What are you…" Yuuri looked in the direction Murata was tilting his head and saw Wolfram climbing a tree like Yuuri had shown him. "For crying out loud, Murata!"

"What? Every time I see you you're checking him out!" Murata laughed. "And don't tell me you haven't heard the rumors?"

"Yeah, I heard them." The rumors surrounding Wolfram and Yuuri's friendship had continued to grow in frequency and complexity as time wore on. Now, the most popular rumor was that Wolfram was the secret lover of Yuuri and that he was really a girl due to his effeminate beauty, which Yuuri found stupid because Wolfram was clearly a boy.

"It would seem that the royal princes don't favor the fairer sex…"Murata said ruefully. "Or rather, one doesn't and the other doesn't even seem to desire his own species. I wonder which one the king finds worse?"

"Probably the former," Yuuri said frowning sadly and then he came to his senses. "Wait, what am I saying? I'm not attracted to Wolfram! He's just a friend!"

Murata's smile never faltered. "So you say. But I've seen the way you two look at each other. Not like friends at all."

Yuuri humphed and muttered something about Murata being weird and went back to watching the merman play.

Murata smiled knowingly, but didn't press the matter further because he had already seen the signs. He had been Yuuri's friend and confidante since they were toddlers. He was the one person Yuuri shared his deepest thoughts with and the sage-in-training knew his friends mannerisms as well as his own. He had seen the changes in Yuuri ever since the merman had come into their lives and it was something much more significant than simply taking in an injured merman.

Yuuri and Wolfram were two kindred spirits, that much Murata could tell. Though he knew little of Wolfram's life before he came to them, it was clear that he and Yuuri shared an emotional bond that he hadn't seen in anyone else, not even the king and queen and they were said to be deeply in love with each other. Yuuri and Wolfram understood each other. They shared the same unbridled energy and curiosity for life, they gave each other inspiration, particularly Wolfram to Yuuri. Murata had never seen Yuuri so energetic and vibrant as when he was with Wolfram. Years of being forgotten and cast under the shadow of his older brother had left Yuuri uninterested and bitter, never once having the joy of treading his own path. But with Wolfram, Yuuri had found something all his own.

Murata had overheard the whispered conversations stolen behind library doors and out in the gardens. He had grown used to hearing his friend speak in the merman's chirping, squawking language. He had even come to appreciate the high-pitched squeaks and he even thought he could pick up what the two were saying at times. As for Yuuri, he didn't even notice and hearing him switch from Common to mermaidese was seamless. Murata had once thought to ask Yuuri what they talked about, but he decided against it, he would let them have their own private language and conversations.

"I'm worried about him…." 

Yuuri's voice broke Murata out of his musings. The prince was staring ahead, watching Wolfram try to grab a brightly colored banner while perched precariously on a branch. When he caught it, he grinned and held it up to show Yuuri, ignoring the flabbergasted sigh of the maid who had just put it there. Yuuri couldn't help but smile at him, which made the merman grin even wider and climb down with the banner draped over his shoulder.

"What do you think will happen to him when I marry Amelia?" Yuuri was no longer denying that he would indeed marry this strange woman. There was no 'if' anymore. King Shouma had spoken.

"What do you think will happen?" Murata asked.

Yuuri shrugged. "I don't know. I won't be able to look after him like I do now. He can't follow me around anymore after the wedding. There'll be no one to look after him."

Murata just listened to Yuuri's musings. Yuuri was telling the truth. It would be five levels of inappropriate for Wolfram and Yuuri to continue living like they did. When he became a married man, Yuuri would be expected to devote all his time to cultivating his marriage to Lady Adele. And that meant no Wolfram. The rumors had reached the king's ears and Murata was sure the determined monarch would try to keep Yuuri and Wolfram as separate as possible.

"You know you're going to have to tell him eventually," Murata pointed out. "They'll be here tomorrow."

Yuuri sighed. "I know, I know….But I can't."

Murata began to speak but was interrupted when Wolfram reached them, still holding the stolen banner.

Seamlessly, Wolfram and Yuuri launched into mermaidese without a blink. They were far away from any nosy servants and whatever Wolfram had to say was much easier expressed in his native tongue.

"Look at this one!" Wolfram said, holding up the banner. "It's a new pattern!"

Yuuri tried to smile, but it came across as strained. The banner was the royal blue and gold of the Shibuya family and the "pattern" Wolfram referred to was a combination of the Shibuya crest and the Norwich crest, an indicator of the coming nuptials.

"Yeah, it's nice, Wolf," Yuuri said, though his tone was down.

Wolfram's brow furrowed in concern. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing at all," Yuuri said quickly. "It's pretty."

Wolfram frowned, not believing Yuuri at all. He stared at the offending banner, as if trying to find whatever flaw that had made Yuuri so sad looking.

"Can we hang it up in my room?" Wolfram asked. "I want to paint it."

"Yeah, of course," Yuuri said without thinking. The servants had more banners. They wouldn't miss just one.

Wolfram looked at Yuuri with concern and then looked at Murata with a questioning look. Used to having Yuuri's full attention, he too noticed the preoccupied and burdened aura that hung about the prince and only seemed to grow as the summer came to an end. Murata wished he could give an answer, but he felt that it was best if Yuuri explained to Wolfram what was really going on. Though he would try his best to urge the prince to have that conversation as soon as possible.

The clock struck two in the afternoon and Yuuri suddenly jumped up in a panic.

"Oh god!" He groaned. "I have a meeting with my dad and his cronies! This'll take forever!"

Wolfram's frown deepened. Though Yuuri had spoken in Common, he caught the jist of what he had said.

"But…we go to beach?" Wolfram said in confusion, slipping into his second language. "Today is beach day?"

Yuuri grimaced. "Yeah, I know I promised I'd take you to the beach today, but I have to go to this meeting and I don't know how long it will take and I still have to do some work for my militia. We'll have to reschedule."

Wolfram's frown went from confused to angry. "But it is today!"

"I know, Wolf. I'm sorry," Yuuri said sadly. "But I got to do this. Hey! Why don't you let Murata take you?"

Murata had to pause when Wolfram shot him a hard glance.

"You don't mind, do you Murata?" Yuuri asked, the sage-in-training could hear the strained hopefulness in his voice, but Wolfram's accusing stare made him hesitate.

"Um, sure. But-" He began.

"But I want you!" Wolfram protested, cutting off Murata's response.

Yuuri looked torn. This wasn't the first time this had happened in the past couple of weeks. Yuuri and Wolfram would make plans and then suddenly, duty would pull Yuuri away and Wolfram would be left to his own devices. Murata couldn't help but feel sorry for the both of them. Wolfram was being left alone for longer and longer periods of time and Yuuri was unable to do anything about it. Still too afraid to really stand up to his father.

"I'm sorry, Wolfram," Yuuri said, but Wolfram wasn't having it.

"No sorry!" He said angrily, shaking the banner for emphasis. "You promised!"

"I'll take you, Wolfram," Murata said, trying to dissipate the tension some. "Yuuri's been very busy because of the guests that are coming soon. He needs to help the king get things ready, ok?"

Wolfram just pouted.

"I promise I'll make it up to you," Yuuri said, trying to salvage Wolfram's good graces.

"You said that last time," Wolfram muttered, making Yuuri, and Murata, cringe.

"I'm really sorry," Yuuri said desperately. "I truly am. When all this is over, I'll take you somewhere nice, alright?"

The clock struck again and Yuuri cursed now that he was running quite late. He mumbled another apology and took off in the direction of the king's meeting room, leaving the two behind in awkward silence.

Murata shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He had never been left alone with the merman, ever. They never had a conversation beyond brief exchanges and generally never spoke to each other, mostly due to the language barrier.

Wolfram stared after Yuuri, hands still gripping the now uninteresting banner before irritably throwing it to the ground.

"I really don't mind taking you," Murata said quietly, trying to ease the pain of Yuuri's broken promise.

"I wanted Yuuri!" Wolfram cried. "He never do what he say!"

"I understand," Murata said gently. "I know it's frustrating. Yuuri's been very busy." 

"Why?" Wolfram demanded. "Why he busy? Who are these people that make him busy?"

Murata wasn't sure he should answer that. He felt nothing but sympathy for the merman's plight. Yuuri's ever increasing duties had eaten up more and more of his time. While Yuuri did his best to take care of his responsibilities so he could spend more time with Wolfram, it was apparent that the more Yuuri got done, the more he had left to do. It was stressful for both the prince and his aquatic friend.

"Look," Murata said with as pleasant a smile as he could manage. "You and I can go to the beach and we can find some shells to make Yuuri a present. Sound good?"

"I already do that," Wolfram said flatly.

Murata thought quickly. " Ah, well….Hey! Yuuri told me you're really good at catching fish and crabs in the tide pools! Why don't you show me how you do it?"

Wolfram sniffed and his disappointed expression was replaced by pride. "I'm great at it. Much better than Yuuri."

Though there was still a hint of lingering sadness in the merman, Murata was glad he had got him to think of something else.

"Teach me how then," Murata smiled. "I can promise I'm a much faster learner than Yuuri."

Murata couldn't help but feel awesome when the tiniest twitch of a smile pulled at the merman's mouth.

"Yuuri no good at catching things," Wolfram agreed. "I will show you."

"Then we shall be off then!" Murata said grandly. "I eagerly await the bestowing of your infinite knowledge of all things crustacean and catchable!"

Wolfram looked at him in confusion. "What you say?"

"Never mind, we're burning sunlight! Let's go!" Murata beckoned Wolfram after him and turned toward the palace gates that opened toward the ocean.

"How you burn sunlight if it already hot?" Wolfram called after him but received no answer. He could only follow the odd human.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * *

The walk down to the beach was made in total silence. Murata was grateful that it wasn't a long trek as he could feel the curious eyes of the merman boring into his back as he led the way to the ocean.

Murata was rarely ever nervous. Since his birth he had been trained to be a master strategist and negotiator, born to take his father's place once the stoic Daikenja either retired or died in the line of duty. Murata had been brutally molded into the perfect right hand of the king, always calm, always levelheaded, and never caught off guard.

However, Murata's training had never included socializing with wild sentient beings. His knowledge of the merfolk wasn't much better than the prince's. He had learned of their migration patterns, diet, fighting styles and strategies, especially when they chose to hunt in human territory or humans themselves. He had been told they were slightly more intelligent than sharks and twice as deadly and were to be feared and destroyed at all costs.

But Murata had found them to be fascinating. They were so human-like in their appearance and intellect that he wanted to know more about them, not destroy them. He figured that the fear around the merfolk was because they were so human-like in their conduct that it was rather disturbing to most people.

'They're a reminder of our own savage origins.' Murata thought as they came upon the beach.

Murata stopped to stare at the waves hitting the beach in a steady rhythm that immediately made the young sage relax and contemplative. Wolfram walked past him, immediately heading for the rock barrier that hid the dozens of tidal pools were many small creatures hid from the larger predators that lurked in the main waters.

Murata lazily followed behind him, watching the merman very carefully, knowing that Yuuri wouldn't forgive him if anything happened to Wolfram. Even though Wolfram proved himself more than capable of looking after himself, the fear of letting him wander in an unfamiliar world and the risk of his secret being exposed made Yuuri and Murata incredibly cautious whenever Wolfram was out. Though he appeared tame, Wolfram still had his moments where he reminded them that he was a wild and skilled predator of the ocean.

Like now as Murata watched Wolfram carefully scan the pools looking for prey among the algae covered stones, agilely stepping on the slippery stones with all the grace of an experienced hunter. His eyes were narrow and focused as his hand slowly stretch out toward one of the pools and with a speed that no human could match, the hand lashed out and yanked something wriggling from the water. The movement was so practiced and quick that if he hadn't already been watching intently, Murata wouldn't have known what had just happened.

In Wolfram's hand, he held a flailing crab, holding it carefully to avoid the angry pinchers that tried to snap at the air in a vain attempt to change its unfortunate fate.

"Nice!" Murata commented. "You are great!"

Wolfram gave him a smug smile and without any hesitation yanked off the still living crab's pinchers and bit into the shell to get at the flesh.

Murata couldn't help but feel sorry for the crab as he watched Wolfram tear it apart, first the legs and then peeling off the shell. He wondered if this was slightly more cruel than steaming them alive as the palace chef liked to do. Murata could say that Wolfram did it with less enthusiasm than the chef, who took a strange delight in steaming crabs and lobsters to death. He even had a song for it.

"Want me to get you one?" Wolfram's polite question cut into Murata's thoughts.

"Ah, no thanks. I'm good," Murata said.

Wolfram shrugged and finished off the crab, tossing away the uneaten bits and went back to exploring the tide pools.

The two young men simply enjoyed the other's presence. Murata calmly watched Wolfram climb over the rocks, occasionally calling out to him or nodding in interest whenever Wolfram had something to show them. After a while, Murata noticed Wolfram staring forlornly out into the sea where the sun had begun to set.

"Do you miss the ocean?' Murata had to ask. Wolfram had never spoken of his home and Yuuri had never mentioned Wolfram talking about it. Murata realized just how little they knew about Wolfram's life and he wondered how much Yuuri actually knew.

Wolfram didn't answer for a while, he continued to stare at the water leaving Murata to think that maybe he hadn't heard him. However, right when he thought the merman had missed the question, Wolfram slowly answered.

"Yes…"

"Yuuri told me you had a family back in your colony," Murata said carefully watching Wolfram's expression.

Wolfram nodded, still not taking his eyes off the ocean. "I have mother and brother and many-" he paused to think of the word. "-cousins…"

Murata's brows furrowed in concern when the merman's expression became downtrodden. "Do you want to go back?"

Wolfram shrugged. "Don't know. Sometimes. Here everything is new. But I still don't know stuff. Yuuri help me. I miss swimming and my tail."

Murata nodded. He could still remember very clearly Wolfram's gorgeous tri-colored tail. The appendage had looked like it was inlaid with precious stones of purple, blue and green. It was the prettiest thing he had ever laid eyes on and he was sad to see it gone.

"I miss hunting and traveling…..it is end of summer. Migration will start soon…"

"Where do you migrate?" Murata was curious.

"South. Where it is warm," Wolfram answered. "It is where we have babies and when they are big, we take them back north."

"Do you have kids?" Murata said with a smirk.

This question broke Wolfram out of his trance and he cringed at the thought. "No! No! No babies! Not me. I'm too young."

"You want babies someday?" Murata had to ask.

Wolfram thought for a bit then shook his head. "No. Babies too much work. Too stupid."

Murata couldn't help but laugh at that. Wolfram watched him for a second and then broke into a genuine smile.

"Good point," Murata said after he had regained composure.

"I want to take Yuuri to ocean," Wolfram said suddenly.

This piqued Murata's interest. "Oh? Really?"

Wolfram nodded. "I want Yuuri to see ocean and whales and – and everything. Want him to see my home."

"I'm sure he'd like that," Murata said gently. It would certainly be every one of the prince's childhood dreams come true. To actually live under the ocean and go where no human had gone before would be the adventure of a lifetime. Murata would like to go.

"Yuuri show me his home. I want to show him mine," Wolfram continued. "I want him to live with me in the ocean."

"You really like Yuuri, don't you?" Murata observed, he couldn't help but smile at the budding romance taking place right before his eyes.

Wolfram blushed and nodded. "Yuuri my friend. I miss home. But I want Yuuri too."

'He wants you too,' Murata thought matter-of-factly. 'He just doesn't know it yet.'

Only someone as eccentric as Yuuri would find himself in a star-crossed romance with a merman. The idea was the basis of every schmaltzy romance novel Murata had ever heard of and he could only imagine the social backlash that would occur if anyone where to ever find out about them. Murata didn't know if Wolfram understood the concept of love and relationships among humans or if he knew the difference between feelings of friendship and feelings of love.

"Do…..the merpeople…" Murata struggled to form his sentence in a way that the merman would understand. "How do merpeople mate?"

Wolfram looked at him like he was asking the dumbest question ever. "Like everyone mates. Merwomen lay egg and mermen dust them."

"Dust them?"

Wolfram made some vague gesture around his pelvis area. "They spray the eggs with white liquid and a merbaby hatches later."

"Ew…" The image that sprouted up in Murata's head was not pleasant. He wouldn't be able to drink milk for a while.

"I mean…do merpeople fall in love?"

"In love?" Wolfram was even more confused. This was one of the many human words he had never heard of.

How could he explain this? "Do merwomen choose which males…dust their egg?"

Wolfram thought for a moment. "Yes."

"And then what do they do?" Murata asked, thinking this could get them somewhere.

"What you mean?"

"Do the merwoman and the merman stay together and go on to make more merbabies?" Murata clarified.

"No….mermen leave and merwomen stay to watch egg grow." Wolfram explained.

"That's all?" Murata couldn't believe that was all. The merpeople were so human-like, surely they had relationships?

Wolfram nodded. "They go back into pairs."

"Pairs?" This would be interesting.

"Mermen go back to being with other mermen and merwomen go back to being with merwomen," Wolfram continued and then went back to poking around the pools now bored with the conversation.

"Males pair up with males and vice versa with females?" Murata tried to understand.

Wolfram didn't know what 'vice versa' meant but he assumed it had something to do with mating. "Yes."

'Interesting,' Murata found this utterly fascinating. 'So merpeople only form heterosexual couples in order to reproduce, but they form bonds with members of the same sex.'

"Hey Wolfram, one more question!" Murata called out. Wolfram poked his head over the rock he had just climbed over to get to another crab he had spotted. He looked at Murata impatiently, wanting to catch the crab before it got away.

"Do you have a male partner back at your home?"

Wolfram shook his head. "No. Nobody want me. Only Yuuri want me."

"Intriguing," Murata muttered to himself as he watched Wolfram devour another hapless crab.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yuuri could feel his brain melting. He was pretty sure he would feel the goo that was once his brain leak out of his nose in just a few minutes if the extremely tedious meeting hadn't ended when it did – three hours later.

After being scolded for being fifteen minutes late to the meeting – of course his father had to hold it in the sun room which was on the very opposite end of the gargantuan palace which meant Yuuri had to just about sprint to the meeting.

His father and his cabinet immediately went into a discussion about how Yuuri was to interact with Lady Norwich and her father and all the various intricacies of securing a political marriage and all the ways that Yuuri could mess it up.

Don't talk about this. Don't do that. Don't talk about baseball. Don't talk about the ocean, mermaids, sea gods, spending time with commonfolk, running around the city and especially don't talk about the foundling.

The foundling.

That was Wolfram's other name around the palace for those who didn't think he was good enough to warrant his own name.

Yuuri sighed. King Shouma and his cohorts only seemed to tolerate Wolfram's presence more than anything. Honestly, Yuuri was sure that Shouma let Wolfram stay because Yuuri devoted more time to his duties than usual. This was due to the fact that Yuuri didn't want to give his father any incentive to cast Wolfram out.

There had been a time when Yuuri and his father weren't so antagonistic. Yuuri could remember playing with his father, learning how to sword fight, and other activities most fathers would do with their sons. Shouma was even the first person to introduce Yuuri to baseball, a commoner's sport that would become the prince's favorite past time after he was forbidden from going to the ocean.

But those times were gone, Shouma wanted Yuuri to become more like his over-achieving brother and when he failed to do so, Shouma seemed to have lost interest in him.

Yuuri let his feet guide him back to his rooms where he would stay until dinner. He hoped that Wolfram and Murata had returned by now. His father's orders echoed in his head when he thought of the merman.

"You will act as host to Lady Norwich. You will accompany her around the palace, keep her entertained, and build rapport with her and her father. The fate of this arrangement rests on you." Shouma had said with grim finality.

The next few weeks would be a challenge. If Lady Norwich was anything like the girls Yuuri had grown up with, he was sure she would not find him interesting in the least. Yuuri was too odd and too awkward. Yuuri had never been able to converse easily with the noblewomen of the court. They weren't interested in mermaid legends, tales of the high seas and they definitely weren't interested in hearing about Yuuri's tales of callously killing merpeople for minor infractions. They found it a little too gruesome for their refined tastes.

But maybe he was being too judgmental. There was a likely chance that Lady Norwich could be very kind and fun to talk to. He had never been to the Norwich lands. She could every well be totally different from any Shin Makoku noblewoman he had ever dealt with. They might even like each other.

It might not be so bad. At the very least, Yuuri and Lady Amelia Norwich could be friends.

Yuuri paused when he heard the familiar broken speech of one Wolfram coming down from the opposite end of the hallway. He smiled when he saw the merman coming down the hallway with Murata. The two were chatting easily and for the first time, Wolfram appeared to be relaxed in the other teen's presence.

When Wolfram saw Yuuri standing there waiting, he didn't give his usual smile, only a cold look, but approached him nonetheless.

Yuuri sighed. He was in the doghouse with Wolfram, and he would probably continue to be in the doghouse for the duration of Lady Norwich's stay. He knew he would have to tell Wolfram about Lady Norwich sometime… but he was afraid that telling Wolfram the truth would alienate him further. And Yuuri refused to let that happen.

However, Yuuri knew that Wolfram deserved better than that.

"How was the beach?" Yuuri asked pleasantly.

"It was great," Murata supplied. "Wolfram showed me how to hunt crabs in the tide pools."

Wolfram sniffed. "He not good. He fell all the time. I had to catch crabs for him."

"Hey, I only fell once!" Murata protested, but there was a smile on his face. "I did catch one!"

Wolfram smiled teasingly. "Only after I chase it into small pool for you. You never go near big deep pools."

"I can't balance on the mossy stone like you can," Murata replied.

"No, you can't," Wolfram smiled. "That's why I teach you."

"Is that so?" Yuuri felt an odd feeling pool in his gut. He didn't know what it was. Out of nowhere, he felt a little miffed that Murata and Wolfram were suddenly close and Wolfram was treating the other boy more warmly while giving Yuuri the cold shoulder.

Yuuri interrupted them with an awkward cough. "Well… I'm glad you had a nice time. Why don't you get cleaned up before dinner? You're a tad damp…"

Wolfram looked down at his clothes and noticed that his pants were covered in sand and wet from wading in the pools.

Yuuri reached out his hand to Wolfram, beckoning the merman to come to him. "Let's get you changed." 

Completely ignoring Yuuri's offered hand, Wolfram walked past him and opened the door to Yuuri's bedroom and let himself in. Leaving it ajar for Yuuri to follow, the merman disappeared into the large room and into the wardrobe to change for dinner.

Yuuri and Murata stood out in the hallways for several awkward moments, both staring after Wolfram and listening the dull sounds of clothing being tossed to the side and new ones being yanked from the rack.

"You really need to make up to him," Murata muttered, though Yuuri could hear the smirk in his voice.

Yuuri huffed. "I wish he would understand that I'm not ignoring him on purpose! He's been spoiled. I can't spend every waking moment with him. Especially now!"

"Are you going to tell him the truth about Amelia Norwich?" Murata asked carefully.

"No….not yet," Yuuri said hesitantly, his mind contemplating just how he would break the news to an already irked Wolfram.

Murata raised an eyebrow disapprovingly. "You know he'll find out eventually. It should be from you."

"I know, I know!" Yuuri said in a huff. "I just don't know how to tell him and I'm afraid of what will happen when I do. He doesn't understand."

"I think he understands more thank you think," Murata said. "Don't insult Wolfram's smarts by thinking him incapable."

"I won't and I'm not," Yuuri said irritably. "I just…..I haven't figured out how I'm going to protect him yet. I don't want to tell him and then he asks me what I'm going to do and I don't know yet!"

"Have you talked to the king or queen?" Murata pushed. He too was becoming concerned with Wolfram's future. "Queen Miko likes him. Maybe she can help."

Yuuri shook his head. "I can't expect Mom to watch him forever. She's got her own duties to attend to…I just wish I could take Wolfram with me…"

Murata's eyes widened in surprise. "So it's been decided? You're going back to Norwich with them?"

"Nothing's official yet," Yuuri explained. "I'm not going back with them after this visit, but when I marry her, I'll go to the Norwich territory."

"Why?" Murata asked, suddenly feeling the loss of his only real friend.

The look on Yuuri's face was one of pure resentment. "My father wants 'an ear and eye' in Norwich. To keep tabs on things and to act as a reminder of the agreement."

"He has spies doesn't he?" Murata pointed out.

"This is supposed to be more upfront. You know how he is. Always concerned with displaying his power over everyone."

Murata sighed. "That's simply politics, Yuuri. You and I will have to play that game in a few years."

Yuuri cringed. "I fear that day."

"Me too," Murata said with a sad smile. Placing a comforting hand on Yuuri's shoulder, Murata started to head to his own rooms to prepare for the evening meal. "I'll see you two at dinner?"

"Yeah," Yuuri muttered and disappeared into his own rooms.

Murata walked down the hallway deep in thought. 'This does not bode well…'

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram was already dressed and sitting on the bed reading a book. "What took you so long?"

"Just talking with Murata…" Yuuri replied, slumping into a nearby chair. He was exhausted.

"Don't worry. When this Norwich lady is gone, everything will be back to normal."

Yuuri tried not to grimace. "Yeah….um…about that…"

Wolfram looked up at Yuuri curiously. "About?"

Yuuri sighed. This was it. He could either tell Wolfram now and do damage control or let him find out from someone else and find himself in deeper trouble with the merman. Either way, he was stuck.

"There's something I have to tell you about the visitors…" Yuuri started slowly, facing Wolfram.

Wolfram was quiet, though his gaze pierced Yuuri down to the bone and the prince found himself struggling to form words.

Great one, how could he explain? "There is a reason why the Norwich family is visiting…"

"They want to see Shin Makoku?" Wolfram said cautiously. He didn't like the way Yuuri was refusing to make eye contact with him. He could tell that his friend was hiding something from him.

"Not just that…." Yuuri said.

Wolfram grew irritated with his vagueness. "Then what? Why are they here? You are obviously keeping something from me, so what is it?"

Deciding the best way was to just confess and work from there, Yuuri blurted. "I'm actually going to marry Lady Amelia Norwich." 

Wolfram blinked. "Who is that?"

"She's…." Yuuri struggled, he had almost said 'my future fiance'. "She's – Well, my father and her father, want us to get married and form an alliance."

"Married?" Wolfram had heard that word uttered sporadically as the visit from the Norwich clan grew closer. He had no idea what it meant, but it must be bad if Yuuri was so nervous about it.

Yuuri nodded sadly. "Yes. I am to marry Lady Amelia and I will go back with them to the Norwich territory." 

Yuuri was leaving? Wolfram felt his heart sink into his stomach. "They are coming to take you with them?"

"No! Not this time…not yet," Yuuri said quickly. "This is just the formal introduction. My father and Lord Norwich are here to finalize the details and I'm to begin courting Lady Amelia."

"But you're still leaving?" Wolfram said, anger seeping into his voice.

"I don't have a choice," Yuuri said quietly.

"Yes, you do!" Wolfram protested. "Tell them you don't want to marry the female! What is marry anyway?"

"Um…." Yuuri hesitated. "It's like mating…but it's for political purposes." 

Wolfram knew what mating was and he did not want Yuuri mating with some random human female!

"What is political?" Wolfram inquired further. He would get to the bottom of this.

"Lord Norwich has…." Yuuri paused, he wasn't ready to tell Wolfram the real reason for this arranged marriage. No, not at all. "He has something my father wants and in order to get it, I have to marry his daughter."

"Why can't your father buy it like we do at the market?" Wolfram asked, not liking the growing dread bubbling up in his stomach.

"It's more complicated than that. When it comes to huge alliances – when two families want something from each other. They arrange a marriage so the….agreement… will stand for a very long time. It's not like buying. It's a trade."

Wolfram stared at him, still not quite getting what Yuuri was trying – and failing – to explain.

Yuuri sighed. "It's something royal people do….." He added lamely. Wolfram's hard gaze made him feel very small.

"You will marry this female and then you will leave?" Wolfram stated.

Yuuri nodded. "It is my duty…"

"What will happen to me?" though his tone was still agitated, Yuuri could hear a hint of fear in Wolfram's words. "Am I going with you?"

Yuuri felt like the worst person on the planet. He could explain all he wanted, he could tell Wolfram he had nothing to do with it and his father had sovereign power over his life, he could say he had no idea what was going on, but no matter the excuse, he still felt like he was betraying his closest friend.

"I'm sorry, Wolf…" Yuuri whispered. "But I don't think you can go with me…"

Yuuri cringed when Wolfram gave him a hurt look. "Why not? Why can't I go?"

"It goes against protocol," Yuuri explained and silently cursed when Wolfram looked at him blankly. "It goes against the rules. I can't be married and have you following me around all the time. When I marry Lady Amelia, she'll take up all of my time."

"You…don't want me anymore?" The betrayed look on Wolfram's face made Yuuri want to hang himself.

"No! No! Wolfram, I still want you!" Yuuri placed his hands on Wolfram's shoulders o assure the other young man. "I never said I didn't want you!"

Wolfram wasn't convinced. "Then why can't I go with you?"

Yuuri looked down in shame. "Because my father won't let - "

Wolfram suddenly became angry and yanked Yuuri's hands off his shoulders throwing back to the prince's sides.

"You always say that!" Wolfram cried, backing away from Yuuri. "You always say 'my father says this,' 'my father says that,' 'my father won't let me.' What _does_ he let you do?!"

Yuuri ran a hand through his hair, trying in vain to come up with some kind of explanation. "My father is the king, Wolfram! I have to do what he says!"

"You are a prince!" Wolfram countered. "Can't you tell him no. Just one time?" 

"He won't listen!" Yuuri shouted, becoming angry himself. Angry at his father, angry at Lady Amelia – just angry at life. "He never listens! I'm just the second prince! My only real purpose is to marry and forge damned alliances! I don't want to get married, but I have no choice!"

"You do have a choice!" Wolfram pointed an accusatory finger at Yuuri. "You do! Tell him no! Tell him you don't want to get married! You're a wimp!"

"I'm not a wimp!" Yuuri snapped. "I'm the unwanted, failure of a second born son!"

"You had a choice to bring me here!" Wolfram countered, bypassing Yuuri's self-deprecation. "You chose to make me human! You can choose to not do something!"

"I don't know how I made you human!" Yuuri cried, exasperated. "You drank my blood. And no, I don't have a choice with my father! It's not that simple!"

"Then what is it?" Wolfram demanded. "What has made you so helpless as to be unable to stand up for yourself!?"

"That's how royalty works, Wolfram," Yuuri said bitterly. "I have my place, Shouri has his, Mom has hers and my father, the King of Shin Makoku, has control over what our places are and will be. To go against him is to be a traitor to my family and my country."

"Then what about me?" Wolfram asked. "What happens to me? I have nowhere to go!"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Yuuri said desperately. "I want to keep you safe. I don't want you to be thrown out as soon as I leave!"

Wolfram was quiet for along time. Yuuri watched in growing despair as his friend turned away from him to tare out the window and into the setting sun.

Yuuri hated himself. He hated that he felt so powerless as to be unable to decide for himself who he should marry. He hated that his ability to protect Wolfram was being threatened because of his father's ambition. He hated that his fears were coming true and he would be forced to send Wolfram away.

After what felt like forever, Wolfram finally spoke.

"Turn me back into a merman…"

Yuuri's heart sank. This is what he had dreaded. He didn't want to turn Wolfram back into a merman. He didn't want to stand by like an idiot and watch his dad send Wolfram off to some asylum. He didn't want to lose the one thing in his life that he could claim for his own. It was selfish – but he couldn't help it.

"I don't know how…." Yuuri said at last, looking down at the floor at the ornate carpet. "Drinking my blood was just a lucky guess. I didn't know it would turn you human….So, I don't know how to turn you back." 

"You have books!" Wolfram said vehemently. "You can read! Find out there!"

"I don't want you to go," Yuuri's voice came out raspy as he struggled to speak around the painful lump in his throat. For some reason, the thought of losing Wolfram was unbearable to ponder. He was so caught up in the fear of having to give up his closest friend that he didn't stop to wonder why and when did this merman become so important to him.

Wolfram's anger dissipated and was replaced by sadness. "I don't want to go either…"

Yuuri remained quiet, still preoccupied with the carpet. Wolfram watched Yuuri stare at the ground. He couldn't believe that his new home might be taken from him. He couldn't believe that Yuuri was going away because of this "marriage" thing. It wasn't fair. Wolfram liked living on land. There was so much to see and learn, so much he hadn't explored yet. There was so much he had yet to do...and he wanted to it with Yuuri. Yuuri was his and no king or female human would tell him different!

"I don't want you to marry…" Wolfram said at length.

Yuuri gave Wolfram a sad smile and moved to embrace the other boy. Wolfram didn't resist, but didn't return the hug. He instead leaned his head on Yuuri's shoulder and continued to stare at the wall behind the prince as his emotions swirled inside his mind.

"I don't want to either…" Yuuri said quietly. "I swear to you, Wolfram. I will find a way to protect you. I won't give you up without a fight."

"What if you can't?" Wolfram asked. There was a feeling inside him that warned that Yuuri's promises stood on weak ground. He didn't know why, but there was a sense of foreboding around the prince's vows of protection.

Yuuri went still for a moment and then slowly pulled away to look Wolfram in the eyes.

"Then….we will find a way to change you back into a merman…."

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Woohoo! Chapter 9!

Again, I am so sorry for the horrendously long wait. Grad school has claimed my soul and crushed my creativity. It is only your continued support and enthusiasm for this story that keep me sane enough to write.

Things are heating up. There is a sense of dread in the air. What will Lady Amelia's visit mean for our favorite couple?

Tune in next time for chapter 10 of Syrena "Escape!"

EB


	10. Chapter 10

Syrena Chapter 10

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your reviews for last chapter. I am so glad you are all still onboard and reading this little story of mine. It makes it so much easier to write when I know that you are all just as passionate about these stories and characters as I am. It keeps the KKM fandom alive!

Please review! I can't wait to hear what you think.

As always, my eternal thanks for your support and feedback. It helps me improve as a writer.

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Syrena Chapter 10 - Amelia

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Yuuri stood before the palace entrance with his brother, mother, and the king with a calm Murata and a fidgety Wolfram at his side waiting for his future to arrive.

Yuuri kept stealing glances at the merman. Against his father's wishes, Yuuri had Wolfram join them in greeting their guests. He saw no reason to hide Wolfram from the Norwich family and certainly not from his future wife. If Amelia was going to be his bride then she would have to be accepting of the fact that Wolfram would always be a part of Yuuri's life. It would be a difficult pill to swallow, but he believed that being up front and honesty were the best strategies at this point until he could surmise what kind of person this Amelia was.

Though he was aware of Yuuri's concerned glances, Wolfram kept his gaze facing forward, watching silently as the guards posted at the top of the walls that surrounded the palace made the announcement that Lord Norwich and company were approaching the outer gates. They would arrive within minutes. Wolfram had remained quiet the entire morning, only giving minimal responses whenever Yuuri or Murata addressed him. It was clear that Wolfram was not happy with Yuuri and old suspicions were rearing their ugly heads as the merman pondered over this new turn of events.

Dressed in a blue jacket and matching trousers with a pristine white cravat, Wolfram looked like the fairytale princes of old that Yuuri's maids would read about in story books to him as a child. The dashing, beautiful prince always ready to protect the princess and rescue the kingdom. Wolfram looked absolutely perfect and Yuuri wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if Amelia found herself more attracted to the sea creature than her future husband. It would be just typical.

"Look alive, Yuuri! The Norwich family are approaching the gate," Shouri whispered to Yuuri, looking like the Crown Prince he was bred to be.

Yuuri sighed and stared ahead as the guard gave the order and the steady creaking of the gates echoed across the giant courtyard. His stomach did a flip as Yuuri's future made its way past the rumbling gates. The ornately decorated carriage steadily entered as the sentries lifted their horns and let out a grand blast to welcome their guests.

Yuuri saw Wolfram wince and let out a soft hiss at the sharp noise. Yuuri felt sympathetic towards the merman. Wolfram's ears were evolved to hear sounds through a much denser atmosphere than air and his ears were incredibly sensitive to any loud or sharp sound. As subtly as he could, Yuuri reached over to gently stroke Wolfram's clenched fist. The merman looked at Yuuri's hand and then up at him, to which Yuuri gave an assuring smile. Wolfram visibly relaxed and he unclasped his hand to shyly grasp at Yuuri's outstretched hand.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Wolfram gave Yuuri a small smile, which made this whole ordeal just a little more bearable now.

'I swear, I will not let Wolfram be taken from me. I will keep my promise.' He thought as he watched their fingers loosely intertwine.

The moment was interrupted when Shouri gave Yuuri a sharp bump with his elbow. The moment now ruined, Yuuri glared at his brother. "What?"

Shouri frowned. "Keep it together! Your future bride is here! Stop making eyes at the fish!" He whispered harshly, glancing at their parents who stood just a few feet in front of them. Shouri hadn't missed the disapproving glances their father and his advisors were sending Yuuri and Wolfram's way.

Yuuri huffed, but withdrew his hand from Wolfram, trying to ignore the confused and somewhat hurt look the merman sent his way that was then replaced by anger. Great, just when he had won Wolfram's tentative forgiveness, he had lost it thanks to Shouri's meddling.

He and Wolfram were going on a vacation. That was the last thought that went through Yuuri's mind when the pageboy placed the step stool on the ground and opened the door of the carriage.

Lord Edward Norwich was the first to step out. A very tall man of middle age dressed in the finery of the Eastern nobility with greying brown hair and aristocratic features. Lord Norwich waved off the pageboy's helping hand and descended on his own from the carriage. Upon noticing the royal family standing at the top of the stairway into the palace, he gave a preliminary bow before turning to help his daughter from the carriage.

Yuuri held his breath. This was it. This was Lady Amelia Norwich, the girl who would become his wife in a matter of months if everything went as planned between their fathers. He had given himself pep talks, motivational speeches, and mental strengthening of any and all kinds to prepare for this moment and yet he still found himself shaking in his boots and wanting to run away. Anything to avoid the drastic turn his life would take once this girl met him for the first time.

A delicate shoe stepped out of the carriage, followed by the hem of a puffy skirt followed by a white hand reaching out to grasp Lord Norwich's arm. The hand was followed by a head, shoulders, and a second arm that carefully clasped the hem of the dress to avoid the dirt.

There, standing right in front of them was Lady Amelia Norwich.

In Yuuri's worst nightmares, he imagined his father setting him up with a bratty, spoiled wench of a girl, but that wasn't Lady Amelia. She was actually rather pleasant looking.

Lady Amelia was unusually tall for a girl her age. She had obviously gotten that from her father, who towered over everyone around them. She looked to be about Shouri's height, which was just grand because Shouri stood at least four inches taller than Yuuri. Yuuri got the short genes from his mother's family. She had dark brown hair wrapped up in a bun in the fine style of the court ladies, pale skin with freckles, and a rather curvaceous body. Lady Amelia was not like the delicate and dainty girls that Yuuri was used to. She had a presence.

She wasn't like the great beauties in stories that caused princes to fall in love on the first sight. She wasn't alluring or sexy or anything that would make her particularly beautiful. She had an open, oval face with intelligently glinting eyes and a calm demeanor that gave off the impression of her being someone that was amiable.

But despite not fitting any socially constructed models of ideal beauty, Lady Amelia had a gentleness about her that Yuuri hadn't seen either. She carried herself with humility but dignity as her father guided her to stand before the royal family.

"May I present, his Lordship Edward Norwich of the East and his fourth daughter, Lady Amelia Norwich." The pageboy announced grandly.

Lady Amelia dipped into a graceful curtsey alongside her father's stiff bow. When she stood straight, her hazel gaze fell on Yuuri and breaking all protocol, she offered him a shy smile.

Maybe she wouldn't be so bad.

"It is an honor to be in your presence, your Majesties, King Shouma and Queen Miko," Lord Norwich said in a smooth deep voice.

Shouma stepped forward and opened his arms in a welcoming gesture. "The honor is ours as well, Lord Norwich. It is a pleasure to finally meet you after so many letters exchanged between us."

Lord Norwich nodded. "Indeed. It is with great excitement that we are here."

"I pray the journey was pleasant?" King Shouma asked.

"It was, your Majesty. I thank you for the escort that met us at the border. They were most helpful," Lord Norwich said with a polite smile.

"Very good," King Shouma replied. "And this is Lady Amelia, I presume?"

"Ah, yes," Norwich nodded and stepped aside to gently push his daughter forward.

"This is my fourth daughter and youngest child, Amelia."

Amelia curtseyed again. "It is an honor to meet you, your Majesty. I thank you for having us."

Yuuri thought that Amelia had a very calm and quiet voice. She was obviously well-trained in court etiquette as she never faltered once or showed nervousness in the presence of the king.

"You are most certainly welcome, Lady Amelia," King Shouma smiled widely at the girl. Shouma stepped aside and gestured toward the waiting royal family. "May I introduce my wife, Queen Miko and my two sons, Crown Prince Shouri and Prince Yuuri."

On cue, Queen Miko stepped forward and gave a bright smile to the Norwich family. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you! Shouma has told me so much about you! You are just as sweet as I imagined, Miss Amelia!"

Lady Amelia blushed. "I thank you, my Queen."

"Shouri! Yuuri! Come say hello!" Queen Miko called out though the two sons were already making their way down the stone steps.

Shouri was the first to gently grasp Amelia's hand and kiss it. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Amelia." He looked up at the young girl with a charming smile that would melt butter.

Not to be shown up, Yuuri followed suit and kissed Amelia's hand as well. "It is nice to finally meet you, Lady Amelia."

Amelia blushed even deeper and smiled, tucking her hand away into the fold of her dress. Yuuri found himself starting to like the girl. It was nice to not be the only socially apprehensive person for once.

"The pleasure is all mine, Prince Yuuri," She whispered, her smile widening just a bit. "I am so excited to finally meet you. My father has told me so much about you."

"Really?" Yuuri said, genuinely surprised…and a little worried. "What did he tell you?"

"He said you hunt merpeople," Amelia said, a strange twinkle coming into her eye.

Here Yuuri faltered. He did not want to discuss that in front of Wolfram, who was choosing to remain silent. "Um….yeah. That is one of my duties."

Amelia immediately perked up. "Can you tell me about it?" She asked excitedly. "I find merpeople to be fascinating and I've never seen a wild one! Will you be able to show me?"

"Amelia!" Lord Norwich scolded. "Prince Yuuri doesn't want to indulge your girlish fantasies!"

"You…like merpeople?" Yuuri asked hesitantly.

Amelia nodded. "I've read about them since I was little. I've only ever seen one in captivity many years ago. I think they're very interesting creatures."

"Is that so?" This was an unexpected revelation.

"My apologies, your Majesties," Norwich interrupted, giving a scolding glance to his daughter. "Amelia has a very wild imagination and she's never seen the ocean before. She has all these fantastical notions about sea life and merpeople, especially. All she could talk about on the way here was seeing the ocean and finding a mermaid. Can you believe it?" Lord Norwich gave a dry chuckle.

King Shouma nodded in sympathy. "No worries, Lord Norwich. Prince Yuuri here used to be obsessed with the creatures when he was younger. Thankfully, he has learned the truth about them."

Yuuri couldn't stop himself from shooting an annoyed glance at his father. Yes, he had learned the truth about merpeople, but it wasn't the truth his father spoke of.

"Well!" Queen Miko said, clapping her hands together, possibly sensing the sudden tension. "Why don't we head inside? I'm sure you would like to settle in and later, we have prepared a fine dinner for you!"

"Prince Yuuri, why don't you show Lady Amelia to her rooms?" Shouma motioned for Yuuri to lead Amelia into the palace.

"Of course," He replied easily, holding out his arm for Lady Amelia. "Please follow me, Lady Amelia."

"Call me Amelia," She said immediately as she took the offered elbow. "Lady Amelia is a bit of a mouthful."

Yuuri couldn't help but smile. This wasn't turning out so bad. "You can call me Yuuri as well."

"Perfect!" Amelia said brightly, her shyness beginning to melt away. "We shall be friends upon the morn!"

"Of course," Yuuri said with a small chuckle and the two entered the palace behind their parents with Shouri, Murata and the rest of their entourage following behind.

Lingering at the very end of the procession was Wolfram who shuffled his way into the palace, already forgotten.

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As they walked to Lady Amelia's rooms, the young woman remained quiet and polite, answering trivial small talk from Yuuri as they made their way into the palace. But a funny thing happened. As soon as Lord Norwich went into his rooms and they continued on to Lady Amelia's quarters, the girl immediately launched into a string of questions about merpeople.

"What do mermaids look like? Are they really just giant fish? Are they as vicious as everyone says they are? Do they really sing and what does it sound like? How do they breed? What are your day to day duties as a mermaid hunter?" The questions ran together so quickly that Yuuri barely had time to register what she had asked.

"Um…well….uh," Yuuri stuttered trying to make sense of the rush of questions thrown his way. "They kind of look like humans but they're covered in scales up to their necks. They can be vicious but no more than any other wild animal. So long as you give them space and don't bother them, they are fine. They sing but it's not like human singing -"

"What kind of singing?" Amelia asked, leaning in closer in rapt attention.

"Have you ever heard a whale?" Amelia shook her head no. "Well, it's difficult to explain. It's like a sad, moaning sound but not like a moan, more like…..something…"

"Something?" Amelia raised a finely plucked eyebrow.

"You have to hear it yourself…" Yuuri said meekly.

"I see," Amelia nodded. "It's one of those thing where you have to experience it for yourself."

"Exactly," Yuuri said.

"So what do you do as a mermaid hunter?" Amelia said, moving on to the next question.

"I basically just make sure the merfolk don't bother the fishing vessels," Yuuri said plainly.

"Is it dangerous?"

"Most of the time it's boring," Yuuri shrugged. "Merpeople aren't constantly attacking ships. They only do it on occasion and when a ship strays into their territory."

"I heard that when they attack a ship there are never any survivors," Amelia said almost in a whisper. She was absolutely hanging on Yuuri's every word.

"Sometimes, there are usually one or two survivors," Yuuri explained. "But, yes, you're right in that they are very thorough hunters. The ocean is their domain and they have the advantage. If a man falls into the water and a merfolk is nearby, then he's as good as dead."

"How frightening!" Amelia gasped.

"If you don't mind my asking," Yuuri said. "Why are you so interested in merpeople?"

Amelia blushed. "Well….my nursemaid would read me sailor's tales about them and when I was older, my father took me to a side show and they had a live mermaid in a huge tank. It was so surreal. The mermaid was scary and yet beautiful at the same time."

"Really?" Yuuri hadn't been to a sideshow since he was very young. They were run by ne'er-do-wells and offered a bunch of macabre and freakish sights for the public to behold. They sold folk remedies, and souvenirs from around the Continent. They were just a hodge-podge of unusual and disturbing sights and acts.

"I remember thinking that the mermaid's tank was far too small…"

"Is that so?"

Amelia nodded. "I remember as a child thinking that the tank they put her in was far too small. She was basically all rolled up in that thing…and the water was dirty too. I felt bad for her."

"That does sound sad…" Traveling sideshows weren't known for their ethical treatment of their animals.

"It was…."

Finally, they had reached their destination. A maid was waiting for them and with a silent bow opened the door to Amelia's rooms for the young lady to enter.

Yuuri glanced back down the hallway where the door to his own bedroom was just a couple of yards away. A deliberate move on the part of his father. Should Amelia become his wife, the rooms where she was staying now would be renovated and made more suitable for a young princess of Shin Makoku. It was a careful reminder to the both of them what lay ahead.

"I shall see you in a bit?" Amelia said pleasantly, standing in the door of her room.

Yuuri smiled politely. "Of course. I look forward to it." And with a slight nod, he left Amelia to her own and made his way to his own room.

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That had gone as well as expected. Yuuri was pleasantly surprised that Amelia appeared to not be the stuffy, spoiled girl he had been prepared to meet. She seemed rather amicable and was promising to be at least interesting, as she had let slip her fascination with the ocean and merpeople. Something Yuuri could relate to.

'We shall see…' He thought to himself as he entered his bedroom to get ready for the welcoming dinner party.

"I don't like her."

"Shinou, Wolfram! You made my heart stop!" Yuuri cried, clutching his chest and trying to calm his nerves as the low hiss of Wolfram's voice cut through the silence.

Unaffected, Wolfram continued to stare at Yuuri with a hard gaze as the prince calmed himself. "I don't like her," he repeated with more emphasis.

Wolfram had removed his outer clothing, now he was dressed in only his blue trousers and his white undershirt that was halfway unbuttoned, showing a fine peek of smooth skin. His hair was in its usual shaggy, wavy mess instead of the more civil ponytail he had worn for the Norwich arrival. Sitting on the window seat propped against the pillows, the sight would have been almost sensual if the look on Wolfram's face wasn't of pure irritation.

"She wasn't so bad, Wolfram. You haven't even spoken to her," Yuuri said as he went to the wardrobe to pick out his dinner outfit.

"She doesn't belong here."

"What do you mean?" Yuuri turned around to face the merman.

"She doesn't fit," Wolfram said, getting up from his spot by the window to join Yuuri at the wardrobe.

"That doesn't make sense," Yuuri said as he went about laying out his outfit. Honestly, he didn't understand why he couldn't just wear the outfit he had on now. Changing clothes for every little thing just seemed so frivolous.

Wolfram changed topics. "Is she the one you are supposed to mate with?"

"Yes, Wolfram. Just like I told you," Yuuri didn't know where Wolfram was going with this. The merman's cold stare hadn't changed one bit since they started talking.

Wolfram's frown deepened. "She's no good for you."

"Okay, Wolfram, you're being unreasonable. She just got here. It's only been a few minutes. Why is she no good for me?" Yuuri stopped to directly look at the other boy with a bemused expression.

Wolfram was quiet for a bit and then shrugged. "I don't know. She just isn't. You don't know her or what she is. But you're supposed to marry her. It's not good."

Yuuri sighed. "I agree, but we've been over this, remember? This is what royalty does. We marry people we don't know."

"That doesn't make sense! What if something is wrong with her?" Wolfram protested.

"Like what?"

Wolfram thought a moment. "What if….what if she doesn't like you?"

"That really doesn't matter in arranged marriages," Yuuri replied dryly.

"What if she doesn't like the beach or the ocean? You like those things!"

"She actually told me that she wanted to see the ocean."

Wolfram paused. "When did she tell you that?"

"While I escorted her to her rooms," Yuuri explained and then a realization came to him. "Hey, where did you go while I took her to her rooms? I thought you would have followed us."

Wolfram looked away in annoyance. "Shouri made me stay behind. When you two were gone he had the Effie take me back to my room but I snuck into your room when she left."

"Oh," Yuuri said quietly. Shouri and his father were already trying to keep them apart.

Wolfram got back on topic. "What if she doesn't like chocolate? That's your favorite."

"I'm sure she's not going to make me give up chocolate," Yuuri said with an eye roll.

"What if she doesn't like me?"

This made Yuuri pause. Setting his clothes down, he moved to stand in front of the merman and looked directly into his eyes.

"She will like you. Everyone here likes you," Yuuri said to try and comfort the obviously disturbed merman.

Wolfram was silent for along time. Yuuri could see the conflicting emotions behind those large eyes and Wolfram's struggle to communicate what he was actually feeling.

"What's really wrong, Wolfram?" Yuuri asked gently, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You can tell me."

"What if…she won't let us be together anymore?" Wolfram finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. The anxious look he gave Yuuri nearly broke the prince's heart. "What if she sends me away?"

"I swear to you, Wolfram. I'm not going to let that happen," Yuuri said as intensely as he could convey. "I promised, remember?"

Suddenly, Wolfram became agitated. "You can't promise!" He jerked away from Yuuri's touch to glare at him. "You can't even stand up to your father! How are you going to stop her from taking you away?"

Yuuri heaved a great sigh. He really did not want to deal with this right now. "I told you, I'm trying! I said I wouldn't let anything happen to you and I won't! You have to give me time!"

"There's no more time!" Wolfram cried, stomping his foot in time with each word. "She is here! Now! Today! You will marry her and she will take you away forever and you will never come back!"

"That's not going to happen, Wolf!" Yuuri insisted, becoming slightly angered at the situation.

"You said last night that it would!" Wolfram wasn't backing down.

"Give me a break, will you?" Yuuri shouted. "Damn it, Wolfram! I'm trying, okay? Right now, the best thing you and I can do is just be civil to the girl and see what we can do with what we've got! You have to be patient!"

"You're trying but you're not doing!" Wolfram shot back.

"Fine!" Yuuri threw his hands up in the air. "I'll be blunt! I don't know what I'm doing! I don't know what's going to happen during this visit. All I know is what I don't want to happen and that is losing you to some unknown fate where I can't help you!"

Wolfram looked down at the ground, all anger suddenly going away to be replaced by sadness. "I don't want you to send me away…I don't want you to lose me either…"

"Wolfram, I'm so sorry…" All anger gone, Yuuri rushed over to hug the merman, who simply let himself be squeezed into Yuuri's chest. "Please…you have to trust me. I won't send you away. I'm not going to forget you. I will think of something, I swear on my life I will!"

"Will you turn me back into a merman?" Wolfram whispered.

Gulping down his own dread at the prospect, Yuuri responded. "Of course. If that's what it takes then I will find a way to turn you back."

Wolfram nodded, still staring at the ground. Desperate to bring back some cheer to the world, Yuuri made a suggestion.

"Hey! Why don't we go to the kitchen and get a snack? We have a couple of hours before dinner and I'm a bit hungry. We can eat in the garden and walk around and stuff. Won't that be nice?"

Wolfram really didn't feel like walking in the garden, but wanting to change the subject, he slowly nodded.

"Great!" Yuuri grinned. "Let's go!"

Wolfram let Yuuri take his hand and lead him to the palace kitchens, his mind deep in thought as he tried to plan his own course of action should the worst come to pass.

Turning Wolfram back into a merman was the worst-case scenario for the both of them. Neither Yuuri nor Wolfram knew it, but neither of them wanted Wolfram to become a merman again. Neither could imagine a life without the other at this point. Neither knew why the other had become so important. They didn't know what it was that made them act so odd around the other, so emotional and irrational compared to their former selves. They didn't know and they really didn't have the time to figure it out now that time was against them and Yuuri's upcoming nuptials would tear their friendship apart.

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Their time in the garden was spent far too quickly for either's liking. They munched on sweetbreads and fruit, neither really talking, just enjoying other's presence as they awaited that night's welcome dinner.

Much too quickly, a maid came to warn them that the dinner was fast approaching and that Yuuri was expected to escort Lady Amelia to the dinner. With a sigh, Yuuri got up from his spot on the stone bench and headed back to his rooms to get ready with a quiet Wolfram following behind.

After they got dressed, Yuuri told Wolfram to find Murata and go with him. Much to his consternation, Wolfram flat out refused and instead chose to follow Yuuri as he went to get Amelia from her rooms. It was with growing nervousness that Yuuri knocked on her door and silently waited for her to answer.

"Hold on! I'll be just a moment!"

Trying to ignore the drilling intensity of Wolfram's stare, Yuuri gave a polite smile when Amelia finally opened the door and gave Yuuri a bright smile.

"Yuuri! Is it time already?" She said pleasantly, opening the door to reveal herself fully. She was dressed in a much more formal dress than the one she had arrived in. It was a navy blue accented with fine lace and pearl jewelry. Her hair had been redone into an even more elaborate bun with more pearls tucked into her hair. She looked simply lovely and Yuuri had to catch himself.

"Um…yes, it is," Yuuri said nervously. "I'm here to escort you to dinner."

"Oh, how sweet!" She smiled. "I'm all ready."

"Then let us go," Yuuri said and offered his arm to her.

Amelia reached out to take his arm but paused. "Who is this?"

"Oh…." Yuuri glanced over at Wolfram, who was standing just to the side of the doorframe and looking at the two of them with a hooded gaze.

"Please, excuse me," Yuuri said as smoothly as possible. He could feel the tension rolling off Wolfram in waves. "This is…my friend, Wolfram."

"Oh," Amelia seemed surprised, but she extended a friendly hand to Wolfram. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Lady Amelia Norwich."

Wolfram didn't take the hand. He acted as if she were handing him a rotted piece of fruit.

Amelia looked at Yuuri in confusion. Yuuri turned to Wolfram. "Shake her hand, Wolfram."

Wolfram didn't shake her hand. He was deliberately ignoring Yuuri.

Yuuri's voice took on an uncharacteristically threatening tone. "Wolfram….take her hand and shake it."

Grudgingly, Wolfram shook Amelia's hand and immediately dropped it. Amelia wasn't sure how to react, but being trained to handle any social situation, she gave another polite, but apprehensive, smile.

"Forgive him," Yuuri said as Amelia took his arm and they began the trek to the dining hall. "He's not used to social events."

"Really?" Amelia said with wide eyes. "He is not of the court?"

"Ah...no, he's not," Yuuri replied. "It's a long story."

"A servant?" Amelia guessed, looking back at Wolfram, who followed behind them, glaring at the place where their arms intertwined.

Wolfram didn't hear the rest of their conversation. He could only catch that Yuuri was explaining how he and Wolfram came to be friends and Amelia listened closely. Wolfram was too busy fighting every instinct that told him to rip those two apart and teach Amelia that this was not her place. Wolfram had been in territorial fights with other merfolk before and this was no different to him. Amelia was treading too close to what was his and it was only the precariousness of the situation that made him override his basic instincts and not throw her to the ground and take Yuuri for his own.

"Oh, the poor thing!" He heard Amelia say when Yuuri explained the working story that Wolfram was from an abusive home. "And your gave him wardship?'

"Yes, I granted him sanctuary in the palace. I couldn't just leave him there," Yuuri said, giving Wolfram a sympathetic glance over his shoulder at the merman to which Wolfram merely sniffed and looked at the ground.

"That was very kind of you," Amelia said. "Such a sad fate. You are most kind."

"Thank you," Yuuri blushed. Wolfram scoffed.

"I never knew the royal family to be so benevolent," Amelia said in admiration. "Your people must adore you."

"Well, Shouri's the popular one. I kind of just sit in the back," Yuuri said with a shrug.

"But still. To open your home to a homeless boy is incredibly altruistic for someone of the royal family. None of the nobles at my father's court would be so generous," Amelia said. "The nobility look down on the poor where I'm from."

"That's how it is here," Yuuri frowned. "They don't like to mingle with the lower classes."

"It's such a shame. I believe that we can do more for our poorer subjects," Amelia said firmly. "They rely on us for protection and guidance. It is only right that we should want to help them."

"I think that too!" Yuuri said, suddenly becoming more interested. "No one around here agrees with me."

"My father makes fun of me. He says I'm too soft!" Amelia said with an irritated sigh. "He says I should be more like my sisters. They are the epitome of the perfect court ladies. He says I'm too eccentric for my own good."

Yuuri couldn't help but laugh. "I get that too. My father's favorite instruction is 'be more like Shouri.' It rattles me every time!"

Amelia understood. "Same here. Seems like it's the curse of being the youngest. Nothing you do is as good as when the first-born did it – or new. Such is our fate."

"True," Yuuri said, finally glad to have someone who understood his plight.

They continued chatting and laughing with each other, becoming more and more at ease in the other's presence while Wolfram seethed behind them.

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The dining hall was brightly lit and tastefully decorated in preparation for their royal guests. Shouri was seated in his usual spot to the right of their father with Murata and the Daikenja next to him and the other court members seated in their respective places at the table. King Shouma and Queen Miko were already being seated with Lord Norwich as Yuuri and Amelia walked in with Wolfram in tow.

"Ah, you made it!" Norwich said with a grin. "I was wondering where you two had gone!'

"We were just chatting, Father," Amelia said sweetly. "Yuuri is fun to talk to."

"Good! Good!" Norwich grinned. "I am glad to see you two are getting along. That was our biggest fear, wasn't it, your Majesty?"

"Yes, it was," Shouma agreed with a polite smile. His smile became a frown when he noticed Wolfram standing behind them. "You brought Wolfram?"

"I wasn't supposed to?" Yuuri feigned surprise. "I wasn't told he was not invited."

"I thought it went without saying," Shouma scowled. "What with it being a formal dinner with our esteemed guests. A commoner has no place here."

"Wolfram will behave," Yuuri insisted. "Won't you, Wolfram?"

Wolfram said nothing but his gave a slight nod, not taking his eyes off of Amelia.

"Fine, fine," Shouma grunted, not willing to have a spat with his son in front of their guests.

Happy that Wolfram would be allowed to stay for dinner, Yuuri moved to pull out Amelia's seat.

"My Lady," Yuuri gestured for Amelia to sit, falling into the role of perfectly polite prince.

"Thank you, Prince Yuuri," Amelia smiled and gathered her skirts to sit in the offered chair.

Amelia had meant to sit down in the ornate wooden chair but found herself pushed to the side and her seat taken by a blonde head of hair with angrily crossed arms. Sitting in her spot was Wolfram, who gave her a look that dared her to make him move.

Both Amelia and Yuuri stared in shock at Wolfram while their parents watched them, slightly surprised and put off.

"And who is this?" Norwich said indignantly.

"That is Wolfram," Shouma growled. "Yuuri's friend he plucked off the streets a few months ago. He is uncivilized."

"That would seem so," Norwich said disapprovingly.

Yuuri gave Lord Norwich and Amelia an apologetic smile. "My apologies. This is Wolfram's usual spot, but he is _going to move_. Right, Wolfram?"

Wolfram didn't move. He continued to silently dare Yuuri to make him move from his chair. In his mind, Amelia and everyone would learn that he would not be cast aside. If Yuuri wasn't ballsy enough to ensure Wolfram's place in the palace, then he would do so himself!

Yuuri leaned in close so that only Wolfram could hear him. "Wolfram! Get your ass out of the chair and sit in the other spot! You're going to get us both in trouble!"

"This is my chair!" Wolfram hissed back. "I always sit here!'

"You can't sit there tonight!" Yuuri said. "Amelia has to sit here because she's my guest!"

"I was your guest first!" Wolfram wasn't backing down.

"Wolfram, you are making this way too hard!" Yuuri growled under his breath. He could feel the tense stares of the others. He knew Wolfram was seconds from being kicked out of the hall. "For the love of god, just sit in the other chair!"

"Prince Yuuri?" Amelia piped up cautiously.

"Yes?" Yuuri tried to hide the irritation in his voice.

"Did Wolfram just…squawk at you?" She asked.

"He has a damn speech impediment! I feel like I explain this every day!" Yuuri snapped, inadvertently taking out his frustration on Amelia. "I mean…..he has difficulty talking is all."

"Oh…" Amelia said, looking at Wolfram with a mix of sympathy and caution. "Well, he can sit there. I don't mind. I'll sit in the other chair next to you."

"You're going to let some nobody sit in Amelia's seat next to the prince? A seat of honor?" Norwich was outright offended.

"Yuuri, I think it is best if we have Wolfram take his evening meal in his rooms," King Shouma said with unforgiving finality.

"But-but!" Yuuri stuttered.

"Father, please!" Amelia scolded, cutting the tension. "Wolfram is a poor, homeless boy who found salvation in Prince Yuuri's kindness. He is obviously mentally handicapped and doesn't understand the nuances of court life. A chair is a chair. I can still talk to Yuuri just fine sitting on his left."

"Amelia, there is such a thing as etiquette!" Norwich protested. He then turned to the King. "Please forgive her, your Majesty! The girl has no regard for propriety."

"Forgive _us_, Lord Norwich," Shouma replied, giving Yuuri and Wolfram a cold stare. "Neither does my son."

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!" interjected Queen Miko. "Let us not ruin this joyous occasion with debates about propriety! I highly doubt having Amelia sit on the left is going to ruin their relationship. Especially, seeing as she and Yuuri have become so close in such a short amount of time. There's no need to start a civil war!"

"You spoil the foundling, Miko!" Shouma protested.

Miko wasn't perturbed. "Wolfram is a sweet thing once you get to know him," she told Amelia. "He's just used to sitting in that spot. It's his special chair."

"It's really no issue," Amelia said, sitting herself in the other chair without Yuuri's help. "I understand."

Crisis only barely avoided. Yuuri bit back a groan and sat in his chair with Wolfram on his right and Amelia to his left.

The remaining tensions was broken when the food was brought out and set before the guests. The dinner guests made their selections and the buzz of multiple conversations filled the room as they ate their meal.

Yuuri barely tasted his food as he could only watch Wolfram for any sign of mischief on the merman's part. Wolfram had let everyone know right out the gate that he would not be controlled and not even Yuuri could make him do something he didn't want to do. Wolfram was just was unpredictable as he had always been and it served as a reminder to Yuuri that Wolfram wasn't someone to be subjugated. Wolfram was happy to let everyone know that he was displeased.

"So, Master Wolfram, how long have you lived here at the palace?"

Yuuri was genuinely surprised that Amelia would attempt small talk with the tempestuous blonde. Looking between Amelia and Wolfram, he anxiously awaited Wolfram's reply.

"Three months."

Yuuri could hear from the deliberate way Wolfram spoke that the merman was speaking Common. Good.

"Oh really? And how do you like living in the palace?"

"It is good." Wolfram replied, his tone and expression indiscernible.

"What do you like most about it?" Amelia asked, genuinely curious.

Yuuri's relief died when an odd glint appeared in Wolfram's eyes that promised nothing but suffering for the prince. It was the look Wolfram got whenever he was about to do something he knew Yuuri wouldn't like, but he was going to do it anyway.

"Yuuri is the best thing," Wolfram said much too sweetly to be innocent.

"Oh how precious!" Amelia smiled, not aware of Wolfram's mischievous nature. "You two spend a lot of time together?"

"Oh, lots of time!" Wolfram said emphatically, the odd glint growing stronger. "Yuuri teach me everything to know! He show me palace and beaches and the market. We are always together. Right, Yuuri?"

"Um…yeah," Yuuri said slowly, trying to figure out what Wolfram was up to.

"It must be nice compared to being on the streets," Amelia commented, daintily lifting a piece of bread to her glossy lips.

"Oh it is," Wolfram said with a serious nod. He suddenly linked his arm around Yuuri's, much to the prince's shock. "Yuuri takes good care of me. He protects me."

"Wolfram and I are good friends," Yuuri said, trying to subtly free his arm from Wolfram's grip, which only tightened to vice-like strength. "We are _friends_."

"Good friends," Wolfram almost purred, looking up at Yuuri's pleading face with nothing but exaggerated adulation. "Very good friends."

"It seems you too are close?" Amelia said, becoming a little uncomfortable at how physically close Wolfram and Yuuri now were.

"Very close," Wolfram smiled smugly. "We even share a bed."

"A bed?" Amelia's eyes widened in confusion.

Yuuri started to speak, but Wolfram cut him off. "We sleep together all the time. We even take baths -"

"Alright, Wolf. I think Amelia has heard enough!" Yuuri cut off with a nervous laugh, still vainly trying to get his arm out of Wolfram's grip.

"You bathe together?" The look on Amelia's face was one of morbid interest.

"Only once!"

"Nearly every night!'

"Shut up, Wolfram!" Yuuri hissed through gritted teeth. He finally got his arm free of Wolfram's grip and violently yanked it away.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about," Yuuri was desperately trying to diminish any potential scandal from arising thanks to Wolfram's over-sharing. "He means we go swimming in the ocean all the time!"

"Oh," Amelia immediately relaxed now that Yuuri had given a more appropriate explanation. "That sounds like a lot of fun."

The grin that blossomed on Wolfram's face was absolutely devious. "Its very fun when we're naked!"

"What!?" Amelia sputtered.

"Wolfram, stop it!" Yuuri snapped. "I will send you to your room if you can't behave!"

"Is everything alright, Yuuri?"

"Everything is going well, Father!" Yuuri gave a reassuring smile to his suspicious father. "We're having a fine time."

Yuuri turned and whispered angrily into the merman's ear. "Wolfram, I will smack you if you don't be quiet this instant!"

Wolfram sneered back at Yuuri, flashing a sharp canine. "I dare you to touch me, _human_."

Yuuri glanced up around him. The conversations at the table had died down and everything was watching them curiously. Yuuri's handle on the situation was nonexistent and he sent out a pleading look to his brother and Murata, who could only look on helplessly.

"Yuuri, if Wolfram is having trouble then maybe he should go to his room, yes?"

Though his father's tone was meant to sound pleasant and poised, Yuuri could hear the very real threat.

"That won't be necessary," Yuuri said quickly.

Yuuri gave one last warning to Wolfram. "You are going to be quiet for the rest of this dinner and nothing else! Got it?"

Wolfram's eyes narrowed and for a moment, it seemed as if he would rebut Yuuri's whispered command. But a glance over at the king made the merman go silent.

"Fine, then," was all he said as he jabbed at his food, effectively shutting Yuuri and everyone around him out.

Yuuri sighed and then turned his attention back to Amelia, determined to recover the tension-free atmosphere.

"So, Lady Amelia," Yuuri redirected his attention to the awkwardly staring woman. "Tell me about Norwich? I heard it's in the mountains."

Amelia was quiet for a bit, still watching Wolfram with a slightly anxious expression, but Yuuri's wide grin and bright eyes calmed her and she slowly began to talk about her home country.

Within minutes, Yuuri and Amelia fell into an easy conversation. The awkward, tense moment forgotten, the dining guests returned to their various conversations.

Wolfram poked at his food. This wasn't his usual fare. The chef always remembered to set aside some lobster or crab or Wolfram's favorite sushi, but today was not the case. They were having steak and a bunch of vegetable dishes and Wolfram hated land vegetables. He missed his kelp and seaweed. The lack of palatable food only added to his ire as he was forced to listen to Yuuri talk to the human female and completely ignore him.

Dinner was finally over after a long three hours. The guests bade their goodnights to the royal family. Yuuri thought it had been the longest and most stressful dinner of his life. He had been listening to Amelia and chatting with the girl, while keeping a careful eye and ear on Wolfram, who amazingly had remained completely silent during the entirety of the dinner. Yuuri would have been relieved had it not been for the dark aura rolling off the other boy while he violently stabbed at his food. Yuuri didn't know how he was going to make this up to Wolfram. It seemed that no matter what he tried, he always ended up on the merman's bad side and would remain there until Amelia left.

Yuuri had found some comfort in Lady Amelia. Once her shyness had faded, the girl proved to be witty and intelligent. She and Yuuri talked about their childhoods, their hobbies, their interests, and on one more than one occasion, Amelia managed to make Yuuri outright laugh when she told a rather humorous story about her life in the Norwich territory.

Amelia wasn't bad. Though he didn't think so far as to consider falling in love with her, he could see them being friends and really, that was a bonus when it came to arranged marriages. If he and Amelia could get along, then Yuuri could resign himself to married life in time.

"I had a good time talking with you, Yuuri," Amelia said when they reached her rooms.

"Me too," Yuuri replied genuinely.

Amelia smiled. "I'm glad that we didn't hate each other."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well," Amelia said after thinking for a bit. "I've heard so many stories of two people hating each other when they meet for the first time that I was afraid that we wouldn't get along. But now that is not the case. So I'm glad."

"Ah, I see," Yuuri had heard those stories too. "Then I'm glad too."

"I shall see you tomorrow at breakfast?"

"Of course," Yuuri said cheerfully. "And if we have time, I'll show you the beach."

Amelia brightened. "Oh really? That would be just lovely!"

"It's a date then," Yuuri kissed Amelia's hand. "Have a goodnight, Amelia."

"You do so as well, Yuuri," Amelia said with a nod and she disappeared into her room.

Yuuri felt accomplished. That didn't turn out bad at all. Despite the rough start, this whole meeting was going well. He was sure his father would be pleased.

Footsteps echoed behind him and Yuuri turned around to see Wolfram approaching him. The merman looked sober and deep in thought.

A memory came to Yuuri then. A conversation he had with his father that morning when everyone had left after breakfast. He cringed.

"Hey, Wolfram?"

The merman turned to Yuuri, but said nothing. Yuuri took a cautious step closer, trying to come off as calm as possible.

"I meant to tell you that….you have to stay in your room tonight. You can't sneak in like usual."

Yuuri expected another outburst. He expected Wolfram to protest and insist that he stay with Yuuri like they always did. He fully expected to have to fight the merman on this like he had been doing for the past couple of days.

Wolfram didn't protest. He didn't fight. He remained silent. Rather than become angry, he simply slouched forward in defeat. He stepped away from Yuuri's door and shuffled over to his own room right across the hall.

"Wolfram?" Yuuri said in concern. He didn't know how to react to Wolfram's silence.

Wolfram pinned the prince on the spot with an intense glower that bespoke of his frustration at Yuuri. His green eyes were stormy and sharp.

"I'm-I'm sorry, Wolf. It's just that my father doesn't want - "

Wolfram sneered in disgust. "Your father….always has something to say doesn't he?"

Yuuri looked down in shame. "Wolf, I'm…"

"Don't say it!" Wolfram derided. "Don't say anything!"

Yuuri was quiet.

Wolfram sighed and opened the door to his own neglected room.

"Do what your father wants. I'm going to bed."

"Wolf, wait - " Yuuri tried to plead with him, but his plea was cut off by the slam of Wolfram's bedroom door and the prince was left alone in the hallway.

Yuuri sighed and meekly went to his own room. "I'm such a screw up…"

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Yuuri jolted awake.

He woke up to his own bedroom shrouded in darkness. He had been sound asleep when something had woken him, but he didn't know what.

Looking around his room, he could see the shadows of his furniture and belongings standing in silent vigil around the space of his room. A gentle breeze blew in from the slightly ajar windows to let in the fresh night air. The smell of rain permeated the room and the white flash of distant lightening flickered behind the thick curtains.

What had he been dreaming about?

With a groan, Yuuri sat up, rubbing his hands over sleep-heavy eyes and messy hair as he tried to gather his thoughts. A strange emptiness came over him when he looked to his side and saw that his usual sleeping companion was gone.

At first, he wondered where Wolfram was and then he remembered that he had basically exiled the merman to his rooms until further notice. He hadn't wanted to. But he knew that it wouldn't look good for the prince to share a room with a commoner – a male commoner, when his future bride was visiting.

Yuuri was more than convinced that his father would do everything he could to keep them apart. He knew that for the remainder of the Norwich's visit that he would have to devote all his time to hosting Amelia and making the first steps toward a formal courtship. He would have no time for his aquatic friend and this would only serve to further drive them apart.

Their friendship had gone from wondrous to tumultuous in less than two days. From the moment Yuuri had confessed to Wolfram about Amelia, their relationship was at a precipice and whatever decision Yuuri made from here on out would decide if it fell to the depths or stayed precariously balanced so long as they could keep the secret of Wolfram's origin.

Yuuri flopped back onto the mattress. Their lie couldn't keep up forever. Something inside him knew that. They didn't know how long the spell that made Wolfram human would last or if was permanent. Wolfram hadn't had a drop of Yuuri's blood since that fateful day and Shinou only knew if he would need another dose if he wanted to remain on land. It was too much. Too many variables. Too many things that could go wrong and no way for them to prepare for the worst.

A sound pulled Yuuri from his thoughts. At first he thought it was just the rain pelting against the window, but right when he thought it was just his imagination, the sound came again.

It was so quiet. It sounded so gentle and yet, so alluring. The sound lilted on the breeze of the night air through the window and in time with the rain. It bade him come just a little closer.

Curiosity and something else pulling him, Yuuri slowly got out of bed and went to the door.

The sound didn't get any louder. It stayed the same lilting, drifting melody from beyond the door.

Yuuri's hand rested on the handle. He could feel himself falling into a trance from the sound that bade him. A word of caution drifted into his mind. He shouldn't be out of bed. He was still dreaming. He needed to go back to sleep.

_'Come here to me.'_

His hand moved of its own accord, twisting the handle and revealing the dark hallway when Yuuri should have been returning to his warm bed. The light from the storm flashed, bathing the empty corridor in white light, revealing the source of the sound. It wasn't a sound. Someone was singing.

The floor was icy-cold under his bare feet, but he hardly noticed as the song beckoned him closer. He stopped when a door stood in his way. Wolfram's bedroom door.

_'I am here.'_

A rhythmic thumping accompanied the song, beating in time with the drawn out lyrics and hums. The thumping only further drove Yuuri deeper into his daze. His hand drifted up to rest on the ornate carvings in the wood of the door. The swirls and twists in the design grounded Yuuri in the moment, his only connection to the real world as the singing continued.

_'The things I'll show you. Under the abyss.'_

A strange yearning came upon him. An obsessive need to follow, to join, _to touch_. But there was only wood, cold wood, and a rumbling storm that battered on beyond his conscience.

The singer promised him many things. Things Yuuri hadn't dared to want for the knowledge that they could never be his. It brought back his love of the sea, so long forgotten amidst the trials and duties of princehood. The sand, the waves, the sun setting over the rising tide, a merchild's smile, all the secrets of the ocean.

Yuuri leaned until his forehead gently bumped against the door, his hand hadn't left its spot and the other rose up to rest on the cold brass of the handle. He wanted to turn it, but then again he didn't. He was afraid and enamored of what lay beyond.

_'The things you will see. Won't you have a wondrous sight?'_

Yuuri's eyes slid shut. Would he? Could he? It seemed so much better than what he had. So much better than life as a prince, enslaved to duty and his father's whims, to arranged marriages and political schemes.

_'Here, with me. Beneath the waves.'_

The storm raged on, melding in time with the singer's voice that was low and gentle. So not of this world. Inhuman.

"Wolfram?" Yuuri breathed, a name spoken as a plea. Begging the merman to not tempt him. Begging him to not make such a promise. He couldn't take it.

The voice immediately stopped. It shouldn't have surprised him, what with the ears of a merman being so much more sensitive than a mere human.

There was no response. There was only silence and the rain. Yuuri suddenly felt the absence of the song and he felt bare without it.

Then, the voice started to sing again. No louder, no quieter, and yet Yuuri felt it grow in intensity. He had stupidly given himself away. Now he was trapped. Wolfram's unearthly, husky voice drifted beyond the door and held Yuuri's mind hostage.

_'Will you warm my soul?'_

Yuuri's eyes opened. He was leaning heavily against the door now, his hand gripping the handle till his knuckles were white, fighting the urge to turn it and give in. But he stubbornly held on.

_'Will you quell my passion?'_

The tone was different. Instead of simply luring Yuuri in with its ebb and flow, it picked at a more obscure part of him. A part of him he had never experienced before and never thought he would.

'No, no, I can't,' Yuuri thought helplessly. He couldn't feel those things. He shouldn't feel those things. Not right now. Not for him.

Wolfram was merciless. Yuuri could hear the conquest in his voice.

_'Will you quell my desire?'_

Yuuri moaned. It was a mix of despair and need. Wolfram's voice was awakening something primal in him. It went against all logic and everything he had been taught to repress all these years.

Images came unbidden, summoned by the haunting words of the siren's song. Pale, soft skin, pink lips pulled into an inviting smile, eyes green like the sun rays through the water, golden hair, and slim arms that beckoned him come closer.

What was Wolfram wearing? Was he in his usual pajamas or was he naked, like he was wont to be whenever he was alone or when it was just him and Yuuri? Yuuri was almost envious of Wolfram's shamelessness. Such a perfect body.

'Wolfram, please….stop,' Yuuri's mind begged the merman. He tried to speak but his mouth wouldn't move. More images came to him. Sinful images that no self-respecting prince should ever think about. His self-restraint was weakening. If Wolfram didn't stop, he didn't know what he would do. He didn't want to know.

_'Our light shall be the moon. Our path, the ocean.'_

Yuuri was shaking. His body and mind were fighting with each other. The darker side of him wanted to tear down the door and join with Wolfram in every way possible. Yet, the civil part of him, the part his father had worked so hard to cultivate, continued to fight. Wolfram was enticing him. Almost pleading with him to join him under the sea, his natural home. _Their home._

_'Sail home to me.'_

"Yes…." Came a broken whisper from Yuuri's lips.

Yuuri could feel Wolfram's presence. He was on the other side of the door! He could feel the warmth of the other boy through the wood. He just had to turn the handle and it would be his!

Yuuri could hear the smile in Wolfram's voice.

_'Come to me, my prince…'_

Just as Yuuri turned the handle, a loud lightening strike tore through the heavy quiet and right through Yuuri's trance.

The prince gasped, yanked his hand away from the door like he had been burned.

Too close. That was way too close!

"Enough!" he whispered heatedly. "That's enough!"

With more effort than he cared to admit, Yuuri turned on his heel and rushed back into the safety of his own room. He slammed the door and nearly leaped into bed. He hid himself under the covers and buried his head in the pillow to block out the lingering images and sounds that drifted through his rattled psyche.

Yuuri had heard a mermaid's song only once. It was beautiful but he didn't understand how it could drive men to insanity. He had never experienced the near hysteria that overcame sailors and drove them to madness. It was just stories.

Was that what it felt like to be rendered completely helpless by a mermaid's song? Or was it just Wolfram's song?

Timidly, he peeked out from under the pillow at his door. The voice was gone, leaving the room in utter silence save for the dying thunder outside. Yuuri sent a silent thank you to the lightening for saving him from Wolfram's spell. Great One only knew what could have happened.

Yuuri lay there for a long time. He found himself missing the sound of Wolfram's voice. It was lovely and unlike anything he had ever heard. His primal mind yearned to hear it, to hear more of those seductive lyrics that promised him everything if only he would surrender.

Yuuri let out a low moan. He had never experienced desire like that. Not ever. Not for a woman nor a man. And certainly not for a merman.

And yet, he wanted to feel it again.

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Lo! Chapter 10 of Syrena!

I hope you all enjoyed this. This will probably go down as my fastest update. This is actually the first half of the original chapter I wrote, but I was hit with sudden inspiration and I added a couple scenes that made it too long so I had to break it into two chapters.

The final scene was my favorite and hardest to write. I really wanted to get Yuuri's conflicting emotions and frightening realization of his feelings for Wolfram right. I'd love to hear what you all thought of it.

The final scene was inspired by Willow's Song from the 1975 movie The Wicker Man and Enya's song Exile from her Watermark album. Both songs fit this story very well. Especially the budding romance between our favorite couple.

As always, I look forward to your reviews. A couple of you wanted to "hear" Wolfram sing so I hope this turned out well. I like to think he sounds like a male version of Enya.

Please review! And I will see you all for the next chapter!

With love, EB.


	11. Chapter 11

Syrena Chapter 11

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Syrena Chapter Eleven – The Ball

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Yuuri dragged himself into the hall for breakfast. He hadn't slept a wink last night thanks to the hypnotic songs of a certain merman that kept him up until the sun came up.

He stumbled to the table and all but collapsed into his chair, staring blankly at the lavish spread of breads, fruits, pancakes, coffee cakes, and fresh hot coffee – of which he would be guzzling down in just a minute if he couldn't get himself together in time before Amelia showed up.

Yuuri could still feel the effects of that damned song from last night. The haunting words still echoed in his mind and refused to go away. Wolfram had remained silent for the rest of the night, but the damage had been done. Yuuri was being haunted by the siren song that promised him things he shouldn't even have wanted if he was to be Second Prince of Shin Makoku.

Suppressing a shudder, Yuuri sluggishly reached for the pot that contained the life-giving coffee and poured a large cupful and immediately reached for the cream and sugar. He could never take his coffee straight like most of the men in the castle, which earned him a lot of teasing from his family.

"You look downright awful."

Yuuri noticed for the first time that he wasn't alone at the table. Shouri and Murata were present and staring at him like he had just risen from the grave. Yuuri knew he probably looked awful. He had haphazardly thrown on the nearest clothes; yesterday's shirt and a pair of worn riding trousers and boots. His hair had been carelessly fixed with clumsy fingers, leaving behind something akin to a lopsided bird's nest.

"Did you sleep at all?" Shouri continued, staring at his brother in concern.

"No…" Yuuri drawled, stirring his coffee. "I didn't sleep."

"Why not?" Murata piped up. Yuuri just remembered he was there.

"I…um…" Yuuri hesitated. He wasn't sure he really wanted to tell his brother and best friend that he stayed up all night fighting some very inappropriate images about a certain foundling. "Just a rough night…."

"Huh…" Shouri grunted, turning back to his food. "Did Wolfram keep you up with his constant chatter?"

If only that were the case. "No….just had a hard time…"

Hard time indeed…

Deciding to change the subject, Yuuri inquired as to where their parents where.

"They're having breakfast in the private dining room with Lord Norwich and the Daikenja," Murata explained. "Most likely to talk about boring political stuff."

"Ain't that the truth?" Yuuri mumbled. He was grateful that his parents had taken their political mumbo-jumbo elsewhere. He really couldn't handle it right now.

"_Isn't_ that the truth," Shouri corrected him. "Seriously, Yuuri. Where do you learn how to talk like that?"

Yuuri rolled his eyes and continued to slowly eat his breakfast. He wondered if he would be able to sneak in a nap before the day demanded he be elsewhere.

Such would not be the case unfortunately, as Lady Amelia hurriedly entered the hall and frantically curtseyed to the young princes before taking her seat, again not waiting for the doorman to pull out her chair for her or even announce her presence.

"My apologies, your Highnesses!" She said nervously. "I completely overslept! I must have been more tired from the trip than I had suspected. Please forgive my rudeness!"

"It's no trouble at all," Shouri said pleasantly, ever the gentleman. "We assumed you were simply tired from your travels. It is a long way from Norwich."

"Thank you, Prince Shouri," Amelia said with a smile. "I'm usually most punctual."

"No worries," Shouri said. "We all have our off days. Don't we, Yuuri?'

"Yeah," Yuuri mumbled, already on his third cup of coffee.

Amelia took notice of Yuuri's sluggish demeanor. "Are you alright, Prince Yuuri?"

Yuuri straightened his slouch. He had to keep up airs if he wanted to stay on his father's good side for the duration of this visit. That, and he didn't want to put off Amelia for any reason.

"Just had a difficult time sleeping last night," He explained.

Amelia nodded sympathetically. "Ah…yesterday was quite busy for all of us."

Yuuri simply nodded back and gulped down his coffee, already planning his fourth helping.

"What shall we do today, Prince Yuuri?" Amelia said in an effort start a conversation. The table was awkwardly quiet as Murata and Shouri were watching Yuuri trying to understand why he looked so drawn and dead-like, when the prince was usually a morning person.

Yuuri hadn't even thought about what he was going to do with Amelia past their first meeting. Amelia and her father would be there for at least three weeks. As Amelia's official host, he had to come up with three weeks' worth of activities for them.

"The capital has a wealth of museums and libraries that I'm sure Yuuri could take you to see," Shouri butted in, much to Yuuri's annoyance. He hated when Shouri did that, practically obligating him to do things he had no original intention of doing to save face.

"Oh, what kinds of museums?" Amelia asked, poking g at a piece of melon on her plate.

"The Royal Museum has thousands of artifacts from every period of Shin Makoku's history. There is also the Museum of Natural History, where you can learn about the various flora and fauna of the Continent," Shouri explained.

"I promised Amelia I'd take her to see the beach today," Yuuri cut in. Thanks to the coffee, he could feel his brain returning to an acceptable level of functionality.

"Oh, that is right!" Amelia said, her face brightening up with eagerness but then she paused. "Oh, but there was a nasty storm last night. Won't the beach be a mess?"

"Right, the storm," Yuuri realized. He could feel the caffeine and sugar running through his body and forcing his brain to wake up.

"Can we still go?" Amelia asked, looking slightly disappointed.

"The beaches might be covered in debris from the ocean," Shouri said, meticulously slicing a piece of ham. "It will be a mess as you said. Also, it looks as if it will rain again today. I suggest you explore the town."

"Oh alright. That does make sense," Amelia still looked disappointed. "Is that alright with you, Prince Yuuri?"

"Call me Yuuri," Yuuri muttered automatically. He had barely registered the conversation, still in a funk. "And yeah, we can go into town."

"Well, I'm sure we'll have a lovely day," Amelia took a bite of sweetbread and looked around the hall. "Where is your friend Wolfram? Is he still asleep?"

Yuuri barely suppressed a shudder. He really didn't need to see the merman right now, not when Amelia was present. The vivid and lascivious images that had permeated his dreams last night were torment enough.

However, the forces that were didn't take mercy on the conflicted second prince for right when Amelia asked to his whereabouts, Wolfram entered the room.

Unlike Yuuri, Wolfram was dressed plainly, but neatly. He had combed his wavy hair and looked absolutely well-rested and even addressed those at the table with an amicable smile before sitting down – not at his usual spot next to Yuuri, but next to Murata.

Wolfram paused and stared at the table. Sharp eyes shifted to where Amelia was sitting – the chair where he usually sat on Yuuri's right. Wolfram's mouth twitched, the only indication of his annoyance at Amelia's oblivious usurping of his position at the dining table.

Wolfram fixed Yuuri with an unreadable look that became smug as he took in Yuuri's flustered appearance. Seeing the open chair at Murata's side, Wolfram sauntered over to sit next to the sage-in-training, ignoring Yuuri.

Yuuri couldn't help but cringe. He was not winning any points with the merman today. Tiny snippets of the siren song last night drifted into his consciousness and he quickly shoved them back into the recesses of his mind, but he could still feel them scratching at his mind.

"Ah, good morning, Wolfram!" Murata said cheerfully. "Sleep well?"

Wolfram gave Murata a pleasant smile. "Yes, I sleep well."

"Hello, Master Wolfram," Amelia greeted. Wolfram gave her a sharp look that disappeared so quickly that it went unnoticed by all except Yuuri, who was watching the merman like a hawk.

"Hello, Lady Amelia," Wolfram replied smoothly, though his voice took on a hard edge.

"Did you hear the thunderstorm last night?" Amelia chatted pleasantly.

"I did…" Wolfram replied, though he was looking at Yuuri when he spoke. "I like storms."

"I always did find thunder fascinating," Amelia nodded. "Such a powerful force and yet, the rumbling can be soothing at the same time. It entices the mind."

"Yes, it does," Wolfram said, still not taking his eyes off Yuuri. The two were locked in a stare with Yuuri shifting uncomfortably as the dark green of Wolfram's eyes beckoned those hidden thoughts to resurface despite the prince's best efforts.

"So, Amelia!" Yuuri said suddenly, desperate to break the spell. "Where do you want to go? Museum? Theater?"

Amelia thought for a moment. "Maybe the museum?"

"Museum it is!" Yuuri said cheerfully. "Why don't we leave right after breakfast?"

"Alright," Amelia said. "Sounds like a fun outing."

"It shall be!" Yuuri grinned, trying very hard to let anyone on that he was starting to sweat merely from Wolfram's presence. The merman's gaze hadn't let up once since he sat down and Yuuri could feel his body reacting and it would not be good for Amelia to see him in this state.

"What'll you do today, Wolf?" Murata asked. Yuuri couldn't understand why Murata addressing Wolfram by a nickname suddenly irritated him.

"I want to go outside," Wolfram stated simply.

"Hey! Why don't we go back to the tide pools and I can try my hand at catching crabs again?" Murata suggested, playfully bumping Wolfram's shoulder with his elbow. "I bet I've gotten better!"

Finally, Wolfram turned away from Yuuri and regarded Murata with a dry smirk. "Sure….maybe you not fall into the water now?"

"The beach is a mess right now," Yuuri interjected. He didn't like the idea of Wolfram and Murata being alone on a beach again.

Murata waved Yuuri off. "No worries! I'm sure we'll be fine."

"We just stated that the beaches will be covered in debris from the storm," Yuuri countered.

Wolfram chimed in. "But after a storm is best. All the little animals have washed up and will be stuck in the pools. Best for hunting."

"You hunt in tide pools?" Amelia asked, interest piqued. She tugged at Yuuri's sleeve. "Does this mean we can go with them? I want to learn how to hunt crabs!"

Not understanding why he was suddenly angry, Yuuri immediately shot down Amelia's request.

"No, we're going to the museum. The beaches are filthy and probably covered driftwood and garbage thrown off of fishing vessels. Your father wouldn't approve."

Amelia looked outright downtrodden, but with polite society dictating that she be a good guest, she reluctantly gave in. "Very well,"

Seeing the disappointed look on Amelia's face, distracted Yuuri from his mild jealousy to give her a pleasant smile. "It will be fun. And you don't want to get your clothes dirty, do you?"

"No," Amelia sighed. "My father would probably disapprove anyway. But the museum still sounds fun."

They finished their breakfast and much too soon for Yuuri's liking, Murata put down his fork and pulled a surprised Wolfram from his seat. "To the beach!"

Wolfram barely spared Yuuri a glance as Murata led him from the dining hall. He did manage to shoot a taunting glance at the prince just before the door shut, leaving Shouri, Yuuri, and Amelia alone in the hall.

"They seem like good friends," Amelia commented innocently.

"Yeah….I guess," Yuuri frowned.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

The next few weeks fell into a routine for Yuuri. Each day he would wake up and show Amelia around the palace and the Capital. They went to the museums, historic landmarks, markets, and other seasonal cultural events that occurred at the end of the summer. This was part of Yuuri's initial courtship of Amelia. He would show her all the wonderful things about her soon-to-be new home in order to build a relationship.

Yuuri was pleased to find that Amelia was a fun person to be around. Once her initial shyness had faded away, the young woman revealed herself to be witty, easy-going, and inquisitive. She always had a question or some tale for Yuuri whenever they would go out. She proved to be absolutely obsessed with the ocean and was beside herself when Yuuri took her on a ride on a skipper in the bay. It was then that Yuuri found Amelia to be extremely well-read on all things aquatic as the girl would often point to fish or sea plants and give Yuuri a detailed explanation of the species, its origin, and where it got its name. Truly, she knew more about sea life than Yuuri, who had spent most of his days in close proximity to the sea.

Amelia also had the talent of making Yuuri laugh. Often their days were interrupted by some meeting or other with their fathers. They were terribly boring and Yuuri found in Amelia a kindred spirit who shared his dislike of tedious political schemes. Afterwards, when Yuuri would escort her to wherever they were going, she would make him burst out laughing with her snarky comments on politics and the long-windedness of some debates.

Yes, Amelia was someone Yuuri could see himself courting. She wasn't stuck up or devious like many other noblewomen. She was simple and friendly.

It would all have been good and well, if it wasn't one thing….

Yuuri had seen less and less of Wolfram since he began courting Amelia. The merman was either off somewhere alone or spending time with Murata. Yuuri only saw the merman at meals or by accident if they happened across one another in the palace. When Wolfram and Yuuri did see each other, the merman regarded Yuuri with only minimum interest and went about his business. He no longer snuck into Yuuri's room or asked him to take him places. Wolfram for the most part kept to himself, unless he wanted to go outside the palace, then he would seek out Murata, who didn't have a noblewoman to entertain.

This made Yuuri angrier than he was willing to admit. Granted, he couldn't be too mad at Wolfram for he himself had told the merman that they couldn't spend as much time together as they used to. It was he who told Wolfram not to come into his bedroom at night. It was he who told Wolfram that he had to court Amelia and he and Wolfram being seen together would arouse suspicion. Wolfram was only during what Yuuri said and it pissed the second prince off.

It was starting to wear him out and he couldn't help but feel that it was Wolfram's doing. Ever since that fateful night when he heard to song for the first time, it continued to haunt Yuuri. Yuuri was starting to have dreams at night. At least, he told himself they were dreams. The dream was always the same, he would hear Wolfram's seductive song from across the hall, he would get up from his bed in a trance and then lean against Wolfram's bedroom door until he snapped out of it or his body gave out from beneath him from lack of sleep. Every time, the dream would be followed by images and feelings that Yuuri couldn't explain and was loath to allow himself to feel.

Wolfram for his part, acted completely innocent and never gave any indication that it was he who was seducing Yuuri at night. Shouri had once explained to Yuuri what being a cocktease was and that was Wolfram to a T. As a matter of fact, Wolfram had mastered it.

Not even Amelia's charm could make the prince totally ignore the unbidden memories from bubbling to the surface of his mind. The lack of sleep was taking its toll as well. He was pretty sure Amelia was starting to notice as he had caught the young lady giving him worried looks as they explored the city together.

Today, Yuuri hoped his chronic insomnia wouldn't be obvious as he took great care to look good this afternoon as he was going to take Amelia to the opera. He walked steadily down the hall, trying to hide the jitters from his body being overloaded with coffee and any other substance just shy of coca that would keep him awake.

"Amelia?" he called out as he knocked on her door. "Are you ready to go? The opera starts in a couple of hours."

"Where is she?" He mumbled to himself. Forcing the overtired gears of his brain to work, Yuuri supposed she might be in the gardens, the other place that Yuuri could find her if she wasn't holed up in her quarters.

Yuuri quickly found Amelia seated on one of the stone benches in the gardens, reading a book in the late afternoon sun. Her back was to him and she was so engrossed in the book that she didn't hear him approach her.

"Amelia?" Yuuri placed his hand on her shoulder. "We have to go."

Amelia jumped up from the bench with a yelp, completely engrossed in the world of the story she was reading. The book fell to the ground before Yuuri's feet as Amelia tried to calm herself once she recognized the prince.

"Oh my goodness, Yuuri!" she gasped as she tried to fix her frazzled hair that fell in waves down her shoulders. She looked good with her hair down, Yuuri noted idly. "You nearly killed me!"

"I'm sorry, Amelia," Yuuri said meekly. "I didn't meant to frighten you." He bent over to pick up the book for her. It had fallen open-side down and Yuuri turned it over to hand it back.

Suddenly, Amelia became alarmed and tried to snatch the book from Yuuri's hands. "Wait, Prince Yuuri. Don't look!"

"Look at what?" Yuuri glanced down at the book and skimmed over a few words. And then his eyes went wide as he examined the text more closely while Amelia covered her face in shame.

'…_..Antoine's hands tangled themselves in Frederick's shirt despite the redhead's half-hearted protests. "Please, Frederick! We musn't! This must stop at once!" The bigger man simply tightened his arms around Antoine's slim waist, his hot breath ghosted over the smaller man's luscious lips. "I cannot stop, Annie. I've tried and tried to resist you, but I have failed. The gods have cursed me with a weak spirit when it comes to fighting the urges you awaken within me. It is too much and I am tired of being denied!" Frederick's harsh kiss swallowed Antoine's protests and drowned the beautiful man in his passion as all facets of resistance melted away within Antoine and he went limp in Frederick's strong embrace. The younger man moaned as Frederick's hand slid down his waist to grasp a firm, round - '_

"Don't read that!" Amelia cried from behind her hands. Her face was beet-red as she violently yanked the book out of Yuuri's shocked hands.

Yuuri stared at the space where the book used to be, trying to comprehend what he had just read.

"What….are you reading?" he whispered in shock.

As if it were even possible, Amelia's face went even redder. "It's a romance novel….I was simply reading it to pass the time before we head to the opera and-and - "

"A romance between two men?" Yuuri couldn't believe it.

Amelia struggled to explain. "It's this new genre of romance that has been gaining popularity in Norwich and it's actually pretty well-written - if you can find the right authors of course. It's not that bad and the stories and characters are often interesting and it's so novel and different and-and…..Please don't tell my father!"

"This is a whole genre?" Amelia had spoken so quickly that Yuuri only caught bits and pieces of what she had said.

When Yuuri didn't yell at her in disgust, Amelia began to calm down slightly. "Yes….It's a whole community of authors and readers. We write our own stories and share them with each other. It's so much better than those boring regular romances where all the women act the same and the men are bland. These stories have more character and intrigue!"

Amelia brushed off the book and held it close to her chest. "This one I'm reading is from one of my favorite writers. It's the second book in the series."

"Is this legal in Norwich?" Books like these would have been burned in Shin Makoku.

Amelia frowned. "It's a bit of an underground movement. I got into it from a maid of mine. It's weird at first, but once you get into it, it's rather enrapturing."

"And you're okay with that? You're okay with two men being together?" Yuuri asked sternly. Pointing at the book.

Amelia turned from Yuuri's pointed finger as if to protect her novel from his wrath. She hesitated, contemplating whether or not to answer Yuuri's question.

After a long pause, Amelia sighed in resignation. "I suppose you would have found out anyway. Yes, I am one of the few members of the nobility who doesn't mind androtropes. I see nothing wrong with them. I don't understand why it is such a taboo when it's really no one's business. I'm not an activist, mind you. But I'm not one of those hypocrites who says they support the andros but act like barbarians toward them in real life."

Amelia lifted her chin, proud and ready to accept Yuuri's inevitable outrage at her non-conformist ways. "There, I said it. And I don't apologize for it."

"No…..that's actually good."

Amelia blinked. "It is?"

Yuuri gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah. We all have something we believe in. I'm not mad at all."

Amelia was skeptical. "You mean that?"

"Yes…" Images of Shouri and Emile flashed across Yuuri's mind. "I do."

Slowly, Amelia relaxed completely. "My father would fly into a rage if he found out. You promise not to tell?"

"I promise," Yuuri said solemnly. "On my life."

"Really?" Amelia looked amazed. "No one else knows my secret. I can keep my books?"

"Of course," Yuuri said and then offered his hand to Amelia. "We all have secrets. Now, we should get going if we want to be on time."

Amelia took the offered hand and followed Yuuri back into the palace.

"Do you have a secret?" she asked inoffensively.

"Yes…" Yuuri said after a brief pause.

"What is it?"

Yuuri wondered if it was wise to share his secret with Amelia. His secret was far graver than a mere infatuation with alternative romances. There was more at stake.

Yuuri finally decided to give Amelia part of his secret.

"Unlike my father and brother, I'm not in support of exterminating merfolk."

"But you lead a-"

"I know," Yuuri cut her off. "And it makes me feel like the worst person alive. I think that merpeople and humans can work together. They're not mindless animals like we think they are. They're smart and strong…"

And gorgeous.

Yuuri shook that thought from his mind. "We can't continue fighting them. It's not right."

"I see," Amelia said quietly. "It seems we both have a passion for protecting the feared and oppressed."

"Yeah," Yuuri whispered and they continued on in silence.

This was an interesting revelation. It made Yuuri wonder if it would be feasible to consider Amelia a possible ally. Whereas before he thought her a potential threat to their secret now perhaps Amelia could be considered a potential friend.

Maybe he was asking too much. Amelia understood Yuuri's thoughts toward merpeople, but that didn't predict how she would feel at the thought of one of them taking human form.

Unbeknownst to them, Wolfram watched hidden amongst a patch of bushes as they walked hand in hand. He had heard their conversations and understood most of it, but that didn't stop the jealous anger welling up inside him when he saw Amelia take Yuuri's hand.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

"So, how are you liking Amelia?"

Yuuri looked up from his afternoon tea. During all the hubbub with Amelia and her father, King Shouma had unexpectedly beckoned Yuuri to have a private afternoon tea with him, something that had never happened before. Tea time was the one time that King Shouma spent alone, not even their mother joined him, so when a servant came to take Yuuri away from his activities, the second prince was both surprised and apprehensive. Lord only knew what this would be about.

Amelia and her father had been at the palace for three weeks. Amelia and Yuuri had become good friends now that they knew they could trust the other with their darkest secret. After revealing her thoughts on androtropes, Amelia proved to be very vocal in her criticism of the way the aristocracy treated andros and other minorities. Yuuri for his part was happy to find someone who understood his sympathies toward the merfolk and the two had bonded even more. It was refreshing.

"She's…actually pretty nice," Yuuri replied hesitantly, trying to figure out what his father was getting at.

King Shouma looked satisfied. "That is good to hear. And here you thought I was going to betroth you to some old shrew. This didn't turn out to be a death sentence like you thought, did it?"

"No, it didn't" Yuuri conceded and continued it sip at his tea.

"The marriage negotiations are nearly complete. They are actually ahead of schedule," Shouma continued as he took a bite of a tea sandwich. "Lord Norwich seems excited simply for the fact that his daughter will become a princess. The brideprice we offered him is above average for people of his rank."

"What did you offer him?" Yuuri asked in genuine curiosity. He hadn't sat in on any of the negotiations.

"Some land, a lump sum of money, a couple of titles, and a few other trinkets to sweeten the deal," Shouma spoke as if it were nothing. Such was the wealth of the Shibuya dynasty that lands, gold, and noble titles were party favors compared to the vast wealth of the kingdom.

"Really?" Yuuri said non-committedly.

"We have arranged to make the official announcement of your engagement to Lady Amelia by the end of their final week here," Shouma said.

Yuuri dropped the spoon he was stirring his tea with. "Is it time already?"

"Yes. I must say you have been an excellent host to Lady Amelia. Lord Norwich was telling me the other day that Amelia has nothing but good things to say about you. I'm glad that you two are getting along so well."

They had been. Yuuri and Amelia had spent nearly every waking moment together, neglecting all others. Much to the detriment of his other friendships. Yuuri hadn't seen Murata or Wolfram in the past few days and when he did, they were always doing something together. Yuuri shoved the wave of jealousy back down with a large gulp of lukewarm tea.

In an unusual display of fatherly affection, Shouma reached across the table and squeezed Yuuri's shoulder. "I'm proud of you. You have met your duties as a host wonderfully and I am happy that you are compatible with Lady Amelia."

"You are?" Yuuri said skeptically.

Seeing his son's expression, Shouma sighed and leaned back into his chair.

"I know you think me your enemy, Yuuri," Shouma said with a hint of sadness. "It seems that all we do is clash with each other. I am not out to ruin your life. I am here to ensure the continued progression of our kingdom and I would hope you would want the same thing."

"I do!" Yuuri said quickly. "I care about our people as much as you do. It's just….I just think differently."

Again, Shouma sighed. "Of course you do. We all wish to differentiate ourselves from our parents and form our own identities. But the truth of the matter is that we all have duties and responsibilities that must be met, even if it goes against our own ideals."

"But why does that have to be the only way?" Yuuri dared to argue. "Why must we sacrifice our ideals simply because it's the easy way out?"

Instead of arguing against his overly idealistic son, Shouma instead picked up a biscuit and looked at it thoughtfully for moment. Taking a bite, he chewed for a bit before answering.

"When I was a prince, there was a rebellion in the north," Shouma began. "It was a tribal group known as the Bielefelds, a violent and temperamental lot. At the time, the kingdom was on the edge of bankruptcy due to the war with Dai Cimarron, our eternal enemy. The Bielefelds' native land was situated atop a huge depository of gold that could save the kingdom from collapse and turn the war in our favor. However, the Bielefelds refused to cooperate in letting us use their land to save the very kingdom they lived in."

Shouma paused to take a sip of his tea. Yuuri listened in rapt attention.

"Your grandfather offered a share of the riches if the Bielefelds agreed to relocate," Shouma continued. "But they refused and the negotiations became violent."

Shouma went quiet, his mind wandered off into the past, many years before he married and had children. "I was one of the few, if not the only one, who sided with the Bielefelds. I was completely against forcing them to leave their native homeland and then harvest it for our own gain. I remember fighting my father and the council for days trying to protect those people to no avail."

Shouma set down his cup and pinned Yuuri with a stern gaze. "I fought for their rights so long that I began to neglect my other responsibilities as a prince – my responsibilities to the thousands of other citizens who were living in fear and near starvation because all resources went toward maintaining the army and fighting Dai Cimarron. I was so focused on saving this small tribe that I forgot about the thousands of people who relied on me for provision and protection."

"What did you do?" Yuuri asked, though he dreaded the answer.

Shouma looked down at his folded hands in his lap. A look of sadness, regret and guilt flittered across his face before he trained it back into its usual stoic expression.

"My father showed me the gravity of the situation. He showed me, on paper and in the real world, just how desperate our kingdom was. 'You would sacrifice the needs of the many for the desires of the few' he told me. I was jeopardizing the livelihood of my kingdom for a small group of people who didn't, or wouldn't, see the bigger picture and I was just as bad as they were."

Yuuri had heard of this small conflict that had happened during the last Dai Cimarron-Shin Makoku war that had eventually killed his grandfather and marked the beginning of his father's reign. The war had been bloody and drawn out. It wasn't until a plague tore through Dai Cimarron's forces that Shin Makoku was able to regain the advantage and win the war for good. The small fight with the Bielefeld clan was a tiny footnote in the history books.

Shouma's voice cut through Yuuri's thoughts. "Once I realized my folly. I felt terribly guilty. Who knew how many lives had starved to death during the time I wasted arguing for a group of heathens who didn't even care for their own country."

"But it was their homeland," Yuuri interjected. "You were just trying to protect them!"

"But I did it to the detriment of my own people," Shouma countered sharply. "I had failed in my duty as a royal. So to restore my honor and win back my father's respect, I led the campaign to forcefully invade the Bielefeld territory."

Shouma picked up his cup and took a long drink before finishing his story. It was apparent that the memory was a difficult one and Yuuri wasn't used to seeing his father look remorseful, even if he felt that he had done the right thing.

"We drove them out," Shouma said gravely. "Many lives on their side were killed. In the end, we were able to access the gold and we had enough to fund the rest of the war and buy resources from other countries to feed our people. Though the Bielefelds were no more, we had saved the rest of the kingdom."

This was an admission that Yuuri didn't think he would ever hear. His father had admitted to a small-scale genocide in the name of Shin Makoku. Yuuri doubted he would ever do something like that. No matter how justified.

"I regret that it came to that," Shouma whispered. "But I don't regret saving my people. If I could have done it another way, I would have without hesitation. But there was no other way."

"What happened to the surviving Bielefelds?" Yuuri asked timidly.

Shouma hesitated. "The few dozen that survived ran off into the wilderness of Caloria. They are among the poor and outcast there."

Yuuri was horrified. "A few dozen? What were their numbers before?"

Shouma gave a grim smirk. "Around five hundred total. The Bielefelds don't know surrender or defeat. They fought until the very last man."

"I don't tell you this to scare you," Shouma explained when he saw the pale look in his son's face. "What I am trying to tell you is that when we become too narrow-minded in our ideals, we risk failing in our duties as rulers and protectors of Shin Makoku. To this day, I feel remorseful for what I did, but I am not ashamed. In the end, it saved our kingdom and as a prince at the time, that was my sole purpose. You have to understand that as a prince, you must do what is best for your people, even if it means giving up on your dreams. This is what I want you to understand."

Yuuri did understand. He really did. But unlike his father, Yuuri wasn't so willing to just accept that just because one person or one group refused to cooperate that the only solution was brute force and mass murder.

"You think me cruel?" Shouma asked suddenly.

Yuuri wanted to say yes, but the sad look in his father's face made him stay quiet. This was a side of his father he had never seen before. Shouma was always so stoic and confident. The perfect king. There was a time when they had been close and Yuuri had looked up to his father. But over time, they had grown apart due to their very different views on royalty and politics. Yuuri would never have done what his father had. Never.

"No, I don't," Yuuri said finally. "You did what you thought was best. Though, I wish you had found another way. They didn't deserve to be forced out of their home and killed."

"Of course," Shouma sighed in resignation of his son's blind devotion to his principles. "But keep in mind that you will someday be called upon to make the same choice. Will you hold to your morals even if it means endangering the future of your people?"

"I hope it never comes to that," Yuuri said quietly.

"I hope so too…."

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

The day of the engagement party finally came much too soon for Yuuri's liking. The second prince found himself staring at his reflection in the mirror decked out in his royal finest. A new suit had been tailored just for this occasion and it fit snugly on him. Yuuri had never been so dressed to the nines in his life.

The tight collar around his throat did little to help that fact that Yuuri found it difficult to breathe from the sheer power of his growing nervousness. Tonight was the night when the official announcement of his marriage to Lady Amelia would be made to the entire court. There was no going back now. Yuuri couldn't fight it anymore.

He supposed he shouldn't be so panicky. Amelia was a nice girl and this would be a good match. They could be friends while their fathers remained satisfied in the fact that they got what they wanted.

'But this isn't what I want…'

No matter how many times Amelia proved to be a lovely companion, no matter how many times and ways his father explained to him why this was necessary and his duty as Second Prince, Yuuri couldn't banish the feelings of apprehension and resistance that lurked deep in his gut.

He and Amelia could never be more than friends. The thought of actually consummating their marriage made Yuuri cringe. Amelia wasn't ugly, far from it. But she didn't arouse feelings of desire, even in the most primal sense of the word that was very necessary if they were to have children.

Unlike a certain blonde merman.

Wolfram had become the bane of Yuuri's existence. The merman was able to arouse those same feelings that Amelia couldn't with the blink of an eye or a barely-there smirk sent his way, when Wolfram deigned to notice the prince.

Yuuri shook his head to dispel those disturbing thoughts. 'Pull yourself together! There's no time for that now.'

"Yuuri! Are you ready? The guests are all here!" Shouri voice called through the closed door.

"Here I come," Yuuri called out and with a final adjustment to his annoying collar he met Shouri at his bedroom door.

"You look good," Shouri said when Yuuri stepped out into the hallway. Shouri was dressed even fancier than his younger brother. Shouri was decked in full formal military garb with various medals and pins that evoked his status as crown prince and heir to the greatest kingdom in the Continent. Yuuri's outfit paled in comparison.

"So do you," Yuuri said. "Where is Lady Amelia?"

"She is already at the ball," Shouri explained as they walked toward the ballroom. "She went in with her father."

"And Murata?" Yuuri had hoped he would be able to enter with his friend. Murata was always able to dispel Yuuri's nerves before a big event with his usual dry wit.

"He's there too."

"Are we late?" Yuuri asked worriedly.

"No. We're just the last to be announced. You know how it is."

"Oh." Yuuri was aware of that tradition. "And Wolfram?"

"I don't know."

"He's not coming?" Yuuri asked, ready to turn around and find the merman.

"I don't know," Shouri repeated. "He's been keeping to himself lately. I hardly ever see him. I saw a maid take a bundle to his room earlier, so perhaps Mother sent him an outfit for tonight's event."

"Alright then…" Yuuri said quietly. He almost desperately wanted to see the merman again. It had been a total of six days since he had seen him. Not even Murata knew where the merman was.

Yuuri hoped he would be there or at least, Yuuri hoped that he could sneak away to find the merman and speak with him. He felt a terrible need to see Wolfram again, before everything changed for good.

A few moments later, Yuuri found himself entering the grandly decorated ballroom alongside his brother right after an elaborate introduction by Lord Gunter, who clapped the loudest of all the hundred or so guests as the two princes entered through the big doors and onto the dais where their parents waited.

King Shouma gave some speech that Yuuri didn't even hear as he scanned the crowd searching for even a glimpse of Wolfram in the finely dressed cloud. He saw his father's cabinet members and their families, he saw Amelia, who smiled when their gazes met briefly, Lord Norwich, and the entire aristocracy.

The music started and the guests broke into pairs or gathered into small groups to chit-chat while servants brought out gold trays laden with finger foods and goblets of wine. Now was the time for mingling.

Yuuri tried to hide his disappointment as he walked among the guests and fell into the role of the well-mannered and gracious prince. He lost count of how many lords and ladies he chatted with and how many hands he shook. The faces all melted together after a while and thoughts of Wolfram crept back into his mind as he had yet to find the merman.

"Prince Yuuri!"

Amelia appeared out of the crowd with her usual cheer and gave a brief curtsey before the prince.

"Lady Amelia," Yuuri returned her curtsey with a bow. "You look lovely."

Amelia blushed. "Thank you! I'm glad I finally got to you! For someone who claims he's not popular at parties, you have no shortage of people talking to you!"

"Yeah, well, tonight's special I guess," Yuuri said with a chuckle.

Amelia reached out her hand. "Dance with me?"

Eager to spend time with a familiar face, Yuuri accepted her hand and allowed Amelia to lead him onto the dance floor.

Luckily, Yuuri was able to keep up with the three dances they went through. Amelia was a great partner and was happy to keep to the simpler steps that Yuuri could handle. They were even able to chat while they danced and it was the most comfortable Yuuri had ever been at a ball.

Yuuri almost forgot about Wolfram until he finally laid eyes on the merman.

It happened so suddenly that Yuuri nearly tripped. There, behind one of the buffet tables, Wolfram was standing beside one of the huge windows as if he were a part of the décor. It was as if Yuuri was seeing him for the first time, even if it had only been a few days. It might as well have been a year for the way Wolfram's presence struck Yuuri dumb.

Wolfram looked like something out of an artist's dream. He was almost too beautiful to be real. He was dressed in a dark blue velvet suit with a white lacy collar. His hair was pulled back into a short ponytail that fell handsomely down his neck with a few tendrils falling into his face, creating a perfect frame for his handsome features.

Wolfram's gaze caught Yuuri and the prince was reminded of how striking those sea green eyes could be. Wolfram's calm expression pinned Yuuri to the spot where he stood. All sounds, sights, and smells disappeared and it was only Wolfram that Yuuri could comprehend.

"Hey Amelia, would you please excuse me for a bit?" Yuuri suddenly asked his dance partner.

Amelia gave him a confused look but she followed where his eyes kept glancing and saw Wolfram standing there by the window. An odd look came upon her face, but without protest she stepped back from Yuuri. "Of course."

Yuuri mumbled his thanks and made his way through the crowd to where Wolfram stood, praying it wasn't a hallucination.

"Wolfram!" Yuuri called out, wondering why he sounded so breathless.

"Yuuri," the merman replied, but remained indifferent.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you in days!" Yuuri said, voice mixed with worry and slight irritation.

Wolfram shrugged. "I've been in my room mostly."

"Why haven't you come to see me? I missed you," Yuuri didn't realize how disappointed he sounded.

"You were busy with Amelia," Wolfram said with just a slight edge to his voice. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"That's…" Yuuri glanced over his shoulder to see if they were being watched. True enough a couple of curious onlookers were watching them, probably wondering who the lovely youth was that Yuuri was talking to. "You want to go outside? We can talk freely there."

"Won't you be in trouble?" Wolfram looked over Yuuri's shoulder to where his parents were talking with a guest.

"They won't have time to miss me," Yuuri said as he took Wolfram's hand and led him out of the ballroom through a servant's door.

Yuuri took Wolfram to the garden, which had been laden with colored paper lanterns that bathed the plants in various glowing shades of purple, green, blue and pink. The music from the party floated beyond the open windows and just beyond Yuuri's notice as he stopped to face the merman.

Wolfram looked at him before answering. "I've been exploring, reading books, doing things to keep me out of the way."

"You're not in the way!" Yuuri protested. "Not ever! Has Shouri told you that you were in the way?"

"No. It went without saying," Wolfram said, staring in the direction of the ball. The dancer could be seen through the gauzy drapes that fluttered in the evening breeze.

"I meant for you to just not come in my room at night," Yuuri said in frustration. "But I didn't mean for you to completely disappear. I'm not ashamed to have you around and this is your home! You have a right to be seen!"

Wolfram shot Yuuri a hard glance. "This is not my home. My home is the ocean far away from here. I have been an outsider this entire time. Either I'm treated like a pest or like I'm your little pet! Or I'm ignored when someone more important comes along."

Yuuri was struck silent. He had no idea that was what Wolfram thought. Wolfram cast his gaze down to his feet, a stormy look on his face. Yuuri desperately wanted Wolfram to know that he wasn't a pest and that Yuuri would never abandon him.

But had he shown him that?

Yuuri couldn't deny that he had been neglecting the merman, despite his disturbing obsession with him. He had gotten so caught up in trying to resist the growing the feelings in his mind and spending time with Amelia that he completely forgot to check in with Wolfram to see how he was doing.

"No one is more important than you," Yuuri said, gripping Wolfram's shoulders for emphasis. "I've been neglecting you and I am so sorry. It's a terrible excuse but - "

"You've been busy," Wolfram finished for him with a slight grimace.

Yuuri sighed in defeat. He couldn't keep making excuses. And he swore he wouldn't.

"I've missed you…"

It was so quiet that Yuuri almost didn't hear it. Wolfram looked withdrawn and beaten, assuming that he and Yuuri were about to be parted forever. Their care-free summer had come to end and the callous hand of reality was banging on their door relentlessly and they could no longer dismiss it.

"I missed you too, Wolfram," Yuuri let his hand slide down Wolfram's arm to squeeze a limp hand.

They were quiet until a new song from the ballroom drifted into the garden. Yuuri got an idea. He would make their last moments together matter.

"Has anyone taught you to dance?" he asked the merman.

Wolfram shook his head. He had witnessed dancing, but had never thought to ask someone to show him. He was still self-conscious about his walking capabilities and he didn't like being that close to a stranger and then having to move in an unnatural way.

"This is a waltz," Yuuri said, leading Wolfram into a more open part of the garden. "It's easy to learn. I can teach you."

"Okay," Wolfram said as he allowed Yuuri to position his arms properly with one on Yuuri's shoulder and the other held aloft in the prince's hand.

Yuuri blushed. "Um, you'll have to be the lady. I only know the man's part."

Wolfram shrugged. It really didn't matter to him. Humans were so obsessed with what men and women could do apart and with each other. It seemed a waste of time to him.

Yuuri led Wolfram through some basic steps before he circled them around the small courtyard. As usual, Wolfram picked it up within minutes and before long Yuuri was leading him through more complicated steps and turns and – when Yuuri felt like showing off – a graceful dip that exposed the pale skin of Wolfram's neck for Yuuri's pleasure and the prince was glad that the dim lights of the lanterns hid the pink tint to his cheeks.

Neither of them spoke, simply enjoying each other's presence and basking in the moment they had created. Ball and guests forgotten, they moved perfectly together and the music drifted beyond the windows and accentuated the tiny world they had made in the small courtyard.

It was Wolfram who broke the silence after a long period of dancing. "You said you missed me and wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Yuuri said, he was distracted by Wolfram's scent. He wondered where the merman had found perfume. It suited him perfectly.

Wolfram furrowed his brows. "Then why did you not come to me at night?"

"At night?" Realization dawned on Yuuri. "A-ha! So it was you!"

Yuuri stopped their dance and pulled away to point an accusatory finger at Wolfram. "I thought it was just my imagination! But you were the one singing and making me go crazy!"

For a very brief moment, Wolfram looked surprised and then wily.

That was all the confirmation he needed. "Why on earth would you sing those….creepy songs to keep me up at night! I thought mermaids' songs were just stories!"

"They aren't," Wolfram said calmly, flipping a lock of his hair nonchalantly. "It is mostly mermaids that sing. Mermen can too, but it is on occasion."

"Then why have you been singing nearly every night?" Yuuri glared at Wolfram now that the merman had indirectly admitted to being the source of his growing insanity.

Wolfram's stance changed. All manner of innocence and child-like mischief that Wolfram had become known for dissipated and what was left was a self-satisfied look that only belonged to a seasoned predator that knew he had the advantage.

Wolfram tilted his head, studying Yuuri closely and not at all concerned with the prince's vexation. "I was calling you."

"What were those…images you put in my head?!" Yuuri demanded. "And those crazy words you sang!? How did you do it?"

The sly grin on Wolfram's face was both irritating and strangely attractive.

"The magic of the merpeople runs deep," he said in a low voice. "Our songs are the most beautiful because they change depending on the person. I sang, but there were no words or images I put in your mind that weren't already there. You came up with them yourself when you heard my song."

"How?" Yuuri whispered, against his will he could feel the remnants of that night inch their way into his conscience merely from the merman's presence.

Wolfram shrugged. "It's something in you that was already there. A hidden desire that you've forced yourself to forget. That's what makes the mermaid's song so powerful. It sings to that which you hide deepest in your mind."

Wolfram slowly stepped closer to Yuuri. In a panic, the prince quickly stepped away, much to the amusement of the merman who simply followed him. Yuuri continued to back up until his back hit a fruit tree and he was trapped.

Wolfram leaned forward, placing his hand beside Yuuri's head against the trunk of the tree. Their faces were only inches apart and Yuuri could feel the creature's breath against his lips and it sent chills down his spine.

Wolfram grinned, his teeth glinting in the lantern light. "You…and everyone here…make the mistake of underestimating me. I am not of your world but I am still a child of the sea and I retain many of my abilities."

Wolfram leaned in even closer. Yuuri tried his best to melt into the tree, but it was in vain. He could feel his body reacting to Wolfram's proximity and he cursed himself knowing that the merman knew it too.

At first, Yuuri was scared that Wolfram would try to kiss him, but instead the merman brushed his cheek against Yuuri's and instead grazed his lips along the lobe of Yuuri's ear, delighting in how the hapless prince shuddered at the touch.

Wolfram's soothing voice was so quiet as to be nearly inaudible. Yuuri could feel the merman's lips form the words against the shell of his ear as he sang that damning song directly into his ear and into his mind.

"_Come here to me,"_ Wolfram whispered, his voice heavy with the magic of the merpeople. _"The things I'll show you. Under the abyss. Here with me. Beneath the waves."_

"Wolfram," Yuuri voice quivered. He could feel his mind and body surrendering to the merman's spell. He went limp against the tree as he drifted off into a trance.

_"Yuuri,"_ Wolfram traced the tip of his nose from Yuuri's ear to his chin, letting his lips graze against the warmth of the prince's cheek. He stopped and slowly opened his eyes to meet Yuuri's glazed dark stare. Their gazes locked and the world fell from their conscience.

Yuuri felt suspended. He couldn't move or think and he was brought back to that same state of mind that first night when he heard Wolfram sing for the first time.

He wanted to kiss Wolfram so badly. Just close the distance between them and claim the luscious mouth for his own. Damn the ball, damn the engagement, damn Amelia, and damn his father! He didn't care anymore. All he wanted was Wolfram.

"Yuuri!"

It was like a bucket of ice water being thrown on them both. Wolfram jerked away from Yuuri and hissed at the approaching sage-in-training. Wolfram let out an inhuman noise that Yuuri guessed was the equivalent of a merman's swear word as he felt the same way too.

Murata came stumbling through the flowerbeds, a look of alarm on his face.

"There you are!" he cried out, trying to catch his breath. "They've been looking for you. Your dad is getting really annoyed and…..did I interrupt something?"

"No!" Yuuri said quickly.

"Yes!" Wolfram hissed.

"Oh, well then," Murata blinked, noticing how close the two were, not as close as a moment ago but still close enough to insinuate that something rather private was going on. "I had to find you first before your father sent out the entire brigade."

"How long we were gone?" Yuuri asked in concern. He could get in a lot of trouble.

"You were gone for a half an hour!" Murata explained. "All the guests were wondering what happened. They saw you disappear with Wolfram and that was it! Your father and Lord Norwich are not pleased. Amelia is just confused."

Dread sank like a rock in Yuuri's gut. "Oh gods, Father is going to have my hide!"

"You better hurry!" Murata rushed Yuuri away. "It's almost time for the announcement!"

"Great Shinou!" Yuuri cried and quickly fixed his clothes back into order. "I gotta go!"

Without another word, Yuuri zipped off back into the ballroom, leaving behind Murata and Wolfram to watch his retreating form.

Once Yuuri was gone, Murata turned to the merman, who was glaring at him.

"Sorry I interrupted," he said meekly.

"I almost have him!" Wolfram said in his broken Common, arms crossed angrily.

Murata looked away, rubbing the back of his head in a very Yuuri-like manner. "Well, did our plan work?"

"It would have," Wolfram said irritably. "If you hadn't ruined it!"

"I'm sorry," Murata said, silently cursing himself for foiling their own plan. "People were starting to panic and you were taking longer than expected. I had to find you to avoid a scene."

Wolfram huffed and began to stomp back toward the palace. "Yuuri is stubborn! I never have to work this hard before!"

"Yeah, he can be pretty oblivious," Murata agreed. "He requires a little more patience."

Wolfram snorted and headed back into the palace.

Murata sighed. "God, these two are a chore!"

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Chapter eleven!

I hope you all enjoyed this new installment. I promise, shiznits gets real in the next chapter.

This story ended up being a lot longer than I had planned. Geez! Can I just write a straightforward simple plot? I'm just such a glutton for character development and character interaction that I come up with these extra scenes that say so much about the characters that I end up writing very long stories. I hope this doesn't end up as long as THYS. I'm trying to end it by 20 chapters, which might just translate into horrendously long chapters.

Thank you everyone for your continued support and reviews! I wish I could thank all of you individually. Just remember that I do read comments/reviews – often times more than once – and I take your thoughts to heart when writing. I'm so happy that you are all enjoying this story as it proves I can do something right – sad as that is.

I eagerly await your thoughts on this new chapter and I'm working on the next chapter as we speak!

Best! EB


	12. Chapter 12

Syrena Chapter 12

Thank you everyone for your continued support and reviews! I am so glad that you have been following and supporting this story since the beginning. Your words of advice and encouragement are always a blessing and I am always grateful.

Warning: Violence, slight gore.

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Syrena Chapter Twelve – Iron Ore

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When Yuuri reluctantly walked back into the ballroom he was immediately met by his annoyed older brother.

"Where were you?" Shouri demanded, grabbing Yuuri's arm and leading him towards the center of the ballroom where his parents were standing and talking with Lord Norwich.

The effects of Wolfram's spell were quickly dissolving into the back of Yuuri's mind, but the feel of his full lips brushing against his cheek was still very real and Yuuri was very close to just turning around to rejoin Wolfram in the garden and to hell with this whole debacle.

"Lords and Ladies, it is with great joy that my wife the Queen and I welcome Lord Norwich and his lovely daughter Lady Amelia to our kingdom. It has been a great three weeks of becoming closer with this family not just as business partners but as friends as well!"

Yuuri could hear his father's strong voice carry over the curious heads of the many guests as they all turned their attention to the royal couple. Lord Norwich and Amelia were standing beside the king. Amelia had an odd look about her. Her face was unusually pale and she looked as if she were dreading whatever was to come next.

Shouri guided Yuuri to stand next to their parents. Shouma shot the two princes a disapproving look for their tardiness, but he continued on.

"We are delighted that you are here to bear witness to the official announcement of the engagement of his Highness Second Prince Yuuri Shibuya and Lady Amelia Norwich and we wish to extend an invitation to each one of you for the wedding to be held in four months' time."

The room erupted in a huge applause and calls of congratulations for the young couple. Yuuri started when Amelia's hand grabbed his own and they were made to stand before their parents in full view of the guests.

It only took a second for Yuuri to find Wolfram in the crowd. He was back at his original place behind the buffet table, watching stoically as the nobility wished Yuuri and Amelia well in their marriage. Yuuri wasn't sure what would happen to Wolfram after this, but he silently swore to himself that he would find a way to ensure the merman was looked after. His budding friendship with Amelia gave him hope that there could be a place for Wolfram in Norwich.

Lord Norwich stepped out and gave a deep bow the king and queen.

"Your Majesties, I cannot express how deeply grateful and honored we are that you have accepted us into your grand dynasty. We are such a humble nobility that we would have never dared to wish for such an honor," Lord Norwich said graciously.

Standing straight, Lord Norwich faced the crowd. "But we do have a small gift to show our gratitude and agreement with this upcoming marriage. We have heard that the kingdom of Shin Makoku has had a long and difficult history with a species known as the merpeople."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Yuuri cringed. Many of the guests present had been aboard that fateful night when the merpeople attacked the royal ship. That moment seemed so far away and yet it was easily remembered among those who witnessed the dangers of the merfolk firsthand.

Sensing a bit of confusion in his younger brother, Shouri leaned over to whisper in Yuuri's ear. "Lord Norwich has arranged for a demonstration of the iron ore to show how effective it is against merfolk."

Yuuri's blood ran cold. Wolfram was still standing behind the crowd watching them. "W-what does it actually do?"

This time, Amelia spoke up. "It's really dreadful," she whispered with a slight grimace. "I never saw it myself, but my older sister did. She said it was like pouring salt on a slug only much worse. It basically dissolves them."

Yuuri had to suppress a gag. Just the thought made him sick. He had seen what salt did to little garden slugs and if that was the closest comparison to the effects of iron ore on merfolk then he would rather not bear witness.

"I don't want to see it," he said.

"Well, you'll have to suck it up," Shouri replied with not an ounce of sympathy. "It would be rude for you to bow out as this is the sole reason for your marriage."

Lord Norwich's voice cut into their conversation. "I would like to give a demonstration of the powerful effects of finely ground iron ore harvested from the mines of the Norwich Mountains."

A door to the side of the ballroom opened, four servants wheeled in a square structure covered by a large tarp.

"As you are all likely aware, the price of alcohol and absinthe has sky-rocketed the past few years because they have become the most effective way of deterring mermaid attacks," Lord Norwich said as the structure was positioned in the center of the room. A few of the guests – merchants – nodded in agreement. The merfolk were hurting the business.

Lord Norwich made a grand gesture toward the covered structure. "But I can assure you that with this new form of pest control, the prices will drop and we will be able to enjoy our wine and whiskey with none of the guilt!" This earned him a round of chuckles.

They had to get Wolfram out of there. That was the only thought running through Yuuri's mind as his heartbeat sped up with every word that Lord Norwich spoke to the crowd. AN idea of what was in that giant square thing made the need for haste and discretion even more serious.

"Murata!" Yuuri whispered to his friend, who had appeared out of nowhere at his side. "Wolfram- "

"Needs to go," Murata finished, already scanning the room for a quick escape route.

"Go where?" The mysterious Daikenja appeared behind Murata, placing a thin hand on his son's shoulder to prevent him from leaving.

"Father!" Murata started, the Daikenja was probably the only person who could surprise the ever vigilant Murata. "Um, well…"

At this point, the servants had removed the brown tarp to reveal a large fish tank that held a mermaid. She was thrilling and beautiful in her appearance, sharp green eyes scanned the crowd in fear and many instinctively backed away from her gaze. Long blonde hair billowed out from around her head adding to the unearthliness of her wild beauty. Yuuri couldn't help but be reminded of his own merman.

"You cannot leave," the Daikenja said sternly. "We must stay for the demonstration."

"Lord Daikenja," Yuuri turned to face the tall man. "We were just concerned because….because…"

"Master Wolfram is incredibly squeamish!" Murata supplied. "He would faint at the demonstration."

"I'm sure Master Wolfram can excuse himself on his own," Daikenja assured his son. "But we must stay here."

Yuuri didn't hear the rest of the exchange, his attention was fixated on Wolfram who was staring at the mermaid in the tank in horror.

The wheels in his head turned as Yuuri took in the appearance of the mermaid and then Wolfram. The matching blonde hair and green eyes, they even had similar facial features! Wolfram's face went pale and the mermaid pressed herself against the glass as if to break free and go to him. He frantically looked between to the two of them and a terrified comprehension dawned on him .

They were from the same colony. They knew each other.

"We caught this incredibly dangerous female swimming close to the shore where innocent families were playing on the beach," Lord Norwich tapped the glass, making the mermaid flinch. The crowd gasped and began to whisper among themselves about those terrible monsters.

"She had been terrorizing the beaches for weeks now. Who knows why? However, she has found herself to be the test rat for our experiment that will show you how effective iron ore is against the merfolk threat," Lord Norwich gestured for a servant holding a small lidded jar to step forward.

"Conrad!" Yuuri called out as quietly as he could. This earned him an annoyed glance from his parents but he didn't care at that point.

Conrad leaned over discreetly. "Yes, your Highness?"

"You have to get Wolfram out of here now!" Yuuri ordered his bodyguard.

"Right now?"

"Yes!" Yuuri spat out, trying his best not to draw attention.

"Is everything alright, Second Prince?" Shouma asked with a very disapproving frown.

"We're fine," Yuuri said without even looking at his father. "Conrad, please!"

"What should I tell him?" Conrad would follow his prince's orders, even if they were awfully confusing.

"Anything! Just get him out before the demonstration starts!"

With an apprehensive bow, Conrad disappeared into the crowd and Yuuri watched him gradually make his way toward the far corner where Wolfram stood, silently urging the man to move faster and stop pausing to excuse himself whenever he bumped into people. Who gave a damn about their feelings!

Yuuri fought the urge to tear through the crowd and drag Wolfram out himself. Only small sense of relief came to him when Conrad finally reached Wolfram and leaned over to whisper something in the merman's ear. Wolfram barely noticed Conrad and the soldier looked over to Yuuri powerlessly. Though one of the few people that Wolfram relaxed around, Conrad had never tried to make Wolfram do anything as only Yuuri, and to some extent Murata, could get the young man to cooperate without a fuss. Conrad hesitantly reached out to take the merman's upper arm and immediately Wolfram yanked himself away, not taking his attention off the mermaid.

Conrad looked helpless, but as carefully as he could, he took Wolfram's arm again to lead him away. This time, Wolfram flat out shoved Conrad away and the soldier was quickly joined by two others who had to physically drag the struggling man from the ballroom through a small servant's entrance.

Luckily, the guests were so intrigued by this demonstration that only those nearest to Wolfram noticed the struggle and looked on in disapproval at such a display. Yuuri sent a silent apology to the merman and hoped that his actions would be understood in the future.

Yuuri released a breath he didn't know he was holding until the merman finally disappeared into the hall.

"Yuuri, attention!" Shouma ordered his son.

Yuuri didn't want to pay attention. He glanced at Amelia, who didn't bother to hide the disgusted look on her face. Sensing his presence, she offered him an apologetic look as her father made a show of removing the lid of the jar and using a small pewter ladle to scoop out a chicken-egg sized lump of fine, dark grey powder.

"This iron ore," Lord Norwich explained to the enraptured crowd. "Is mined from the Norwich valleys where my daughter and I hail. It is in abundance and is cheap to produce. It is also twice as powerful as alcohol when it comes to exterminating merpeople as you will see."

A footstool was provided and set beside the tank. The mermaid swam to where the man placed the stool to watch as Norwich stepped atop the stool. She pulled back her lips to reveal vicious teeth and a low hiss could be heard.

"How savage!" Yuuri heard one woman gasp behind her fan.

It wasn't savage! Wolfram had made that same sound with that same stance many times before. It was a warning to anyone who posed a threat. It happened when Wolfram was scared or being overwhelmed by crowds or strangers. It was in self-defense and if Lord Norwich just backed away the mermaid would calm down.

But Lord Norwich didn't. Instead he came even closer and the mermaid became more agitated and began to hiss even louder.

"As you can see," Lord Norwich said. "These creatures are incredibly aggressive."

Lord Norwich held the ladle full of iron ore above the water. The mermaid went still.

"I suggest for the ladies that if they are squeamish or easily frightened, they should look away."

Nearly all of the women in attendance hid their faces immediately behind ornate fans or their husband's shoulders. A few continued to peek from behind their protection in morbid curiosity.

Amelia, who had no fan, cast her gaze downward. "This is horrid…."

Yuuri suddenly felt queasy. He had seen the violence that occurred between humans and merpeople many times. He thought he would have a steel nerve after years of exterminating merfolk. But now, now he didn't think he could handle it.

With a great amount of ceremony, Lord Norwich slowly over-turned the ladle and the iron powder delicately fell into the water.

The entire room held its breath.

The powder spread throughout the water like a silver cloud, eerily pretty in the way it caught the light of the chandeliers. The mermaid sank deeper until she was pressed into the bottom of the tank, instinctively wary of the strange substance until the cloud engulfed her entirely.

It was only a second or two, but to Yuuri it felt much longer before a soul-piercing scream from the mermaid cut through the silence. Everyone backed away from the terrible sound as the water began to churn violently as the creature tried in vain to escape her painful death.

The water began to a revolting greyish red color as the mermaid's skin began to melt from her very body.

'_It's like putting salt on a slug but worse!'_

Amelia's words echoed through Yuuri's mind as he witnessed the true barbarity of this new weapon.

Bloody water spilled over the tank, creating a large puddle on the surrounding floor. Lord Norwich and the servants watched coldly as the mermaid, in pure desperation, tried to launch herself from the tank to get away from the iron ore.

One servant stepped forward and with a large pole smacked the mermaid back until she was forced back into the deadly water.

The crowd watched in fascinated horror, some were looking entertained at the spectacle, many were in awe of a method that would kill the merpeople quickly and cruelly. Yuuri hated them all.

Yuuri wanted to vomit. This wasn't a weapon. This wasn't a new and innovative way to stop the continuous conflict between merfolk and humans. This was pure unapologetic murder and cruelty of the worst kind. Yuuri was astonished that his own court would even agree to something like this! That his father had taken away Yuuri's freedom to secure such a brutal method for monetary gain further antagonized the king to his youngest son.

The mermaid's struggles were beginning to weaken. The sloshing of the water slowed as she succumbed to the poison. Her screams became pitiful moans as she sank to the bottom of the tank.

Suddenly, her screams were replaced by another from far to the side of the ballroom. Men and women were harshly pushed aside as Wolfram burst through the crowd and skidded to a halt in front of the tank.

"What in earth…" Yuuri heard his father mumble.

Wolfram made a strange noise, somewhat like a call. The mermaid weakly pulled herself up to look at Wolfram and she reached an arm out to him. Many gasped as the strings of skin and flesh that dripped of the bone and landed with a sickeningly wet slap onto the marble floors.

Wolfram let out in inhuman noise, one of anguish and shock as he ran toward the tank, shoving aside a surprised Lord Norwich to try and help the other mermaid out of the tank. Two servants tried to get him down, but Wolfram kicked and swung at them with his sharp nails as he tried to desperately save the mermaid.

"What the hell is he doing?" Shouma shouted. "Get him down!"

"Wait!" Yuuri cried, but the soldiers had already materialized and moved with weapons drawn to capture Wolfram.

Wolfram didn't even notice them, he had managed to get the top half of the mermaid out of the water and was struggling to get his footing on the step stool and pull her out. He winced in pain as the poisoned water touched his own flesh and began to eat away at it like acid. He was making a series of strange noises and clicks to the other mermaid, who was too consumed by her agony to respond. She weakly tried to hold onto Wolfram as he did his best to pull her out of the tank.

They were yanked apart when a soldier grabbed Wolfram's shirt and yanked the merman down, throwing him to the floor into the puddle of poisoned water. Wolfram yelped, distracted by the iron water and stumbled out of the puddle. The other soldier beat the mermaid back into the water as the other tried to pin Wolfram down.

Wolfram snarled and turned his attention to the soldier. Teeth and claws fully visible, Wolfram dug his claws into the man's shoulders and shoved him back. The man squawked in surprise and they brawled on the floor. Wolfram managed to bite the man's shoulder. Blood ran down the once pristine uniform and the soldier began to panic and call for help.

By now there were at least eight soldiers on the merman. Everyone in the ballroom watched in stunned silence as the men vainly tried to subdue the merman. Wolfram was a combination of swinging claws and snarling teeth, occasionally shouting out one guttural sound that only Yuuri could understand.

"_Mother!"_

Cursing, Yuuri shot forward, grabbing the ceremonial dagger at his side and launched himself into the mayhem to get between Wolfram and the soldiers.

"Get off him!" Yuuri shouted. "Don't touch him!"

Yuuri was caught between the soldiers and Wolfram. Several times the prince was punched in the face, scratched by Wolfram's claws and at one point, he was even bitten in the confusion. Yuuri clothes were ripped and stained with the bloodied water on the floor and that of Wolfram, who had taken a few brutal hits himself.

Yuuri heard his parents' indignant shouts and Murata and Shouri's shouts of concern as he tried to calm Wolfram and shove the men away.

Finally recognizing that they were attacking their own prince, the soldiers collected themselves and backed away with their swords drawn .Yuuri stood between Wolfram and the soldiers. Wolfram was collapsed behind him, breathing heavily, clothes torn and stained with blood – his and the soldiers.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Yuuri snarled.

"What the hell is going on?" Shouma voice boomed over the ballroom. The king stormed forward to stand in front of his son. "Yuuri, have you gone completely insane?!"

"I won't let you hurt him!" Yuuri said, voice quivering. But he was determined to stand his ground.

"What savage creature is this thing?" Lord Norwich demanded, jabbing a finger at Wolfram who was half-lying behind Yuuri.

"I order you to tell us what is going on, Prince Yuuri!" Shouma snarled.

Yuuri hesitated. Their secret was out.

"Yuuri…" Wolfram's pathetic whimper caught Yuuri attention. The prince dared to glance behind him where Wolfram lay. Worry filled him when he saw the damage the soldiers had inflicted on top of the poisoned water that had gotten on Wolfram during the fight and his botched rescue attempt of the mermaid.

Yuuri could see the effects of the iron ore. Wolfram's arms were the worst. Open wounds like third degree burns covered Wolfram's arms and the bottom right side of his face. The wounds even looked like they were continuing to spread, staining his clothes with blood and leaving a terrible metallic smell in the air.

Yuuri turned to the tank and immediately wished he hadn't. The mermaid had sunken to the bottom and was a barely visible shadow in the greyish-pink water. Chunks of flesh floated to the surface and Yuuri swore he could make out the exposed bones of the mermaid's tail where the iron ore had completely dissolved into her body.

Lord Norwich noticed Wolfram's wounds as well. "The…the foundling….is one of the merfolk?"

Damn. Yuuri looked down at where his clothes had touched the water spilled on the floor. He was completely unaffected by the iron ore. Only merpeople were harmed by it.

"You brought a merman into the palace?" Shouma's voice was dangerously low as he stepped closer to his son.

Yuuri held the dagger up at his father, earning a few gasps from the captivated guests. Raising a weapon to the king was high treason, but Yuuri no longer cared.

"Where did you find him?" Shouma demanded. "The truth this time!"

"He-he was sick!" Yuuri said and silently cursed himself for sounding so timid. "I found him on the beach and brought him here. I wanted to help!"

"You brought a wild and dangerous animal into our palace!" Shouma shouted. "You've endangered the lives of everyone here for some stupid whim!"

"He's not dangerous!" Yuuri protested. "You've seen him! He's never attacked anyone! He's been civil ever since he got here!"

"This explains so much!" Shouma said angrily. "Not knowing how to use a fork, breaking clocks, not being able to speak Common! Was he the one that bit you that day? It wasn't a hunting dog!?"

Yuuri was silent.

That was all the king needed. "It was that thing!"

The crowd began to shout and murmur amongst themselves.

"Merfolk can grow legs now?"

"They can learn our ways?"

"They've infiltrated the palace!"

"They are more dangerous than we thought!"

"The prince is under the mermaid's spell!"

"I'm not under a spell!" Yuuri heard that last comment. "I did this of my own volition! If anyone should be punished it is me! Wolfram is innocent!"

"He is not innocent!" Shouma retorted. "He has shown himself to be a violent creature just now! He attacked the soldiers and he attacked you!"

Shouma pointed to the scratches that decorated Yuuri's face and arms.

"It was an accident!" Yuuri pleaded. "He was trying to save the other mermaid and himself! He didn't hurt me on purpose!"

Shouma was unmoved. "You have humiliated me and your kingdom far too many times, Yuuri! Stand down before you are punished even more severely than you will be now!"

Shouma motioned for the remaining soldiers to capture Wolfram. Yuuri brandished his dagger and moved between them and the merman.

"Please, Father!" Yuuri was desperate. "Do whatever you want to me! I deserve it! I was the one the one who brought him here! I deceived you! Please, I'm the one who should be punished! Spare Wolfram! I'm begging you!"

"Why?" Shouma asked in total frustration. "Why would you risk so much for such a creature?"

The words came out as a broken whisper that Yuuri didn't even think to stop. "I….love him…"

Shouma actually stepped back and sneered in disgust. "Then you are truly under a spell because no sane man would say such an idiotic thing ! And for a _merman_ no less! Seize the prince!"

Soldiers flanked Yuuri and they quickly disarmed him. Yuuri was shoved to the ground but he didn't give up.

"Please! Whatever you want! Take my titles, my money, my power! Disown me if you must, but I am begging you, Father. Please let Wolfram -"

Yuuri was cut off by his father's hard fist colliding with his jaw. Yuuri went staggering to the ground, only the soldiers kept him from hitting the floor. He heard Wolfram yelp and his mother gasp.

"Shouma!" Miko cried. Never had Shouma raised a hand against their sons.

Yuuri spit out blood into the ground, momentarily stunned. He barely registered Wolfram being pinned down and bound by the soldiers. He didn't hear the cries of help from the merman. Even if he did, Yuuri couldn't do anything to aid him.

Shouma stepped forward and grabbed a clump of Yuuri's hair to yank his face up to meet his infuriated gaze.

"You have done nothing but disobey and embarrass me since the beginning!" Shouma spat at him. "You have failed in your duties as a prince of the Shibuya Dynasty! You have brought dishonor to your clan and your family. You stupid, useless boy!"

Summoning a courage he didn't know he had, Yuuri steadily met his father's stormy gaze that looked so much like his.

"So it shall always be then," he said in resignation. "But my conscience will be clear."

Shouma huffed, and threw his son's head back down.

"Kill it!" Shouma ordered the soldiers holding Wolfram. The merman began to scream as a soldier came forward with a long sword coated in a paste made from iron ore.

Yuuri writhed in the soldier's grip. "No! Leave him alone!" He shrieked.

Thinking quickly, Murata rushed forward to stand before the king. "Your Majesty, if I may speak?"

Shouma looked indignant. "Honestly! Daikenja! Come get your child!"

"Murata Ken!" Daikenja spat, moving to yank his son away.

"You don't want to kill him!" Murata said, ignoring his father.

"And why not?" Shouma asked skeptically.

"Well….Wolfram turned into a human!" Murata pointed out, mind racing. "If-if that is true, then won't there be others like him?"

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.

Encouraged, Murata continued. "If he managed to infiltrate the palace this far then it is logical that there must be other merfolk helping him who also know to take human form!"

"And?" Shouma still wasn't convinced.

"Then he surely knows where they are!" Murata argued. "If we kill him then we lose valuable information! The fact that he has taken human form and learned our ways shows that the merfolk are intelligent! They are a bigger threat than before! If Wolfram is kept alive, we can find out if there are others who are hiding among the humans!"

"He has a point, your Majesty." Daikenja agreed after a moment's thought. "If the merpeople have regained their ability to disguise themselves as humans, as the legends have told, then the threat has increased. The creature might prove useful if we are to find others like him."

Shouma hissed a long string of curses as he realized the practicality of that statement. The guests were watching in rapt attention at the drama unfolding and Shouma cringed at what a spectacle his once proper and well-behaved family had become.

Shouma turned to where his youngest son knelt on the ground. Yuuri met his gaze bravely. It likely went without saying that King Shouma would never understand his second-born son and that he was tired of trying.

"Take the creature and put it in one of the cells," he said finally. "We will deal with him in the morning!"

The soldiers picked up a weakened Wolfram and carried the merman out of the ballroom. Shouma regarded his second son.

"And as for you," he growled. "You are to be taken to your rooms and you will stay there until I clean up the mess you made!"

The soldiers holding Yuuri picked up the prince and led him out of the room. Once Yuuri was gone, the ballroom was left in an awkward silence as the guests tried to comprehend what had just happened in the span of a few minutes.

Amelia looked on sadly. "How terrible…."

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Pain. So much pain.

Wolfram lay in a pitiful heap on the cold stone floor of the cell where the soldiers had dumped him over an hour ago. They paid no mind to his wounds, agitating them further and ignoring the yelps that came whenever they grabbed him in a place that was touched by the poison.

That powder…what in Ryuijin's name was it? What sorcery had the humans come up with now?

His poor mother. When he saw her in the tank he didn't want to believe it. Never had his mother strayed close enough to the shore to be captured. She never went far from their colony, preferring to stay with her friends and hunt in the depths.

Wolfram hadn't realized just how deeply he had missed the ocean and his clan until he laid eyes on his mother for the first time in what felt like an eternity. But his moment of happiness was replaced by fear when he wondered why she was there in a glass box in display in front of those obnoxious humans. At first, she didn't recognize him, she looked at him as if he were any other human but recognition dawned on her quickly and for a brief moment, there was relief and joy on her face before that cursed man killed her.

Their reunion had been cut short when Yuuri's bodyguard – Conrad – appeared out of nowhere and told Wolfram that Yuuri had ordered him to return to his rooms with no explanation as to why. When Wolfram resisted, he was forced out. He only caught Yuuri's glance briefly and noted the meek expression on the human's face.

Yuuri knew.

Yuuri had been in on it. He knew what they were going to do to his mother and still he did nothing! Useless, horrible wimp!

The silence of the cell was broken by Wolfram's pathetic cry. Everything hurt so much.

Yuuri had tried to defend him. In the chaos of fighting the soldiers and trying to save his mother, Yuuri tried to protect him. Wolfram felt a strong yearning for the prince. He had never thought Yuuri to be brave enough to go against his father's lackeys. Wolfram was prepared to face them alone and likely die at their hands, but Yuuri actually stood up for him and tried to protect him like he always promised he would. Even though neither of them were strong enough to fight the king and his soldiers, it meant a lot to Wolfram that Yuuri even tried.

Wolfram whined and dared to glance down at his arms. The strange burns were spreading. His arms were almost completely covered from the elbow down in the burns caused by the strange powder.

His time with the humans was now at an end. To ease his pain, his mind drifted back over the past three months he had lived among his eternal enemy. He would never get to play in the garden again, read books, explore the city, and sit with Yuuri watching the summer thunderstorms. There was so much left to learn and do. Now, it was over and he would be killed. He would never see Yuuri again.

Yuuri. The human had become the most important thing in the merman's life. He didn't know when it happened. It could have been before Amelia's arrival or maybe afterward, but Wolfram knew he didn't want to lose the prince to anyone. Yuuri was his. Yuuri was Wolfram's mate.

He gave a dry laugh that echoed off the cell walls. His clan would lose their minds if they found out that Wolfram had chosen a human male for his mate. The idea was absurd to the point of being blasphemous. If they knew, they would cast him out.

Yuuri was a kindred spirit Wolfram had given up on ever finding. No one else indulged in his curiosity and thirst for exploration and knowledge. No one ever treated him like he wasn't some eccentric outlier. No one ever allowed him to satisfy his fascination with the human realm. Only Yuuri. Yuuri had taught Wolfram so much and had given Wolfram a companionship that he never thought he would find among his own clan. Yuuri alone proved that humans were not violent and cruel. It was Yuuri to planted the seed of hope in Wolfram that maybe humans and merpeople could coexist.

But that notion was thoroughly destroyed. Yuuri proved to be the only human not interested in seeing his kind exterminated. Yuuri was truly an outlier in that sense. Maybe that was why they connected so well. Yuuri was different from his people and so was Wolfram. They were able to bond over the shared status of being deemed "weird" by their respective clans.

If only tonight hadn't happened. If only that human female hadn't shown up. If everything had just stayed the way it was then Wolfram could have lived happily on the land with Yuuri.

Wolfram let out a dry sob. Mother…she would still be alive…

Wolfram tried in vain to shift on the floor to ease the pressure on his wounds but hissed when it only made them worse. He wished Yuuri would come to him or even Murata. Just anyone to help him care for his injuries. Or lend him some comfort.

This was it. The poison was spreading quickly. Wolfram didn't think he would live past the morning.

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The past three hours, Yuuri had done nothing but pace around his room in a panic, trying to come up with a way to save Wolfram from his father's wrath. He had heard the calls for the merman's head as he was dragged out of the ballroom. He had seen the soldiers callously carry Wolfram out of the room to the cells beneath the palace.

Those wounds looked terrible. They would need dressing and medicine or they would get infected. Yuuri wondered if it was his imagination or if the open sores were actually beginning to spread as the iron ore dissolved Wolfram's skin from his very bones.

So this was the new method of "controlling" the merfolk population that his father wanted so badly. Yuuri was disgusted that his marriage was used to procure such a weapon designed to inflict damage in the most painful way possible. A silly part of him had hoped the iron ore would be a painless method or a simple deterrent. No, he should have known better. Of course it would literally melt any merfolk it came into contact with. It was biological warfare at its finest.

Disgusting.

Yuuri nearly jumped out of his skin when the door to his bedroom was thrown open by his irate father, followed by his skittish mother.

For a long moment, son and father did nothing but glower at each other. With nothing to lose, Yuuri found in himself a courage he never had when it came to facing his father and he stood, unshaking and unmoving in front of the most intimidating man in the world.

"Do you realize what you have done?" Shouma said finally. "We spent the past hour apologizing to guests and saving as much face as we could thanks to your little stunt! You have brought embarrassment to the family and the court! You have jeopardized your marriage and the business contract with Norwich!"

Yuuri said nothing, he just continued to face his father with a blank expression.

Shouma began to pace in front of his son, barely containing his anger. "What has gotten into you? Where did we go wrong with you? You fail in your military duties, you barely fulfill your duties as head of the Mermaid Control, you hardly pay attention to your studies, and now you're bringing stray mermen into the palace."

Shouma was beside himself. "I just don't know what to do with you anymore! Do you have absolutely no concept of consequences and responsibility?! Answer me, boy!"

Yuuri jumped at the last shouted words. For a moment, he struggled to regain enough composure to answer his father. He looked to his mother, who was watching them both in concern. She had born witness to many of Yuuri and Shouma's arguments, but nothing ever this vicious.

"I…." his voice came out as a squeak, silently cursing he cleared his throat and tired again in a normal voice. "I couldn't with good conscience leave him like that on the beach. I thought if I taught him how to be human, it would prove that merpeople aren't savage animals."

"What kind of harebrained idea is that!?" Shouma yelled.

"Years ago, when mom and I were on the beach, do you remember that mermaid that tried to attack me?" Yuuri asked suddenly.

Shouma blinked in confusion. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I was talking with her baby! A merchild!" Yuuri continued. "I spoke to him and he showed me his tail and I showed him my legs. We could talk to each other, Father! He even asked for me to show him the land and humans! We are almost friends! I knew then that merpeople weren't the monsters we made them out to be. And when I found Wolfram on the beach, I knew I could prove it!"

"You were a toddler, Yuuri!" Shouma protested. "A toddler's imagination is hardly a valid reason to take in a dangerous animal!"

"You've lived with Wolfram for three months!" Yuuri countered. "He's learned how to read, write, and he can even speak Common! Mother, you know this!"

"He is right, Shouma," Miko said quietly.

"How did he grow legs?" Shouma demanded.

"I-I don't know…." Yuuri said quickly.

Shouma loomed over his son. "If you are lying…."

"I don't know!" Yuuri stood his ground. Though he knew it had something to do with his blood, he didn't need to give his father more reason to hate Wolfram.

Shoum snarled in frustration. "I don't understand you…" Shouma's anger began to dissipate slightly was replaced with pure frustration. "I just don't understand you! We provided you with everything! The best education, the best training – everything! But nothing worked! You were content to waste away on the beach, lost in your own imagination and perfectly content to act like the world didn't exist!"

Shouma pointed a finger at Yuuri. "Well, I am sad to inform you, my son, that the world does exist and it's not some silly fairytale from your storybooks! You are and always will be a prince of Shin Makoku and you will always – whether you like it or not - have duties that you must fulfill no matter what! The time for games and childishness is over and has been over for a very long time. You need to accept that and get on with your life!"

Yuuri was well aware of that. He knew of his duties as a prince. Despite what his father thought Yuuri wasn't stupid or lazy or immature….he just wasn't Shouri.

"Are you going to _cry _now?"

Shouma mocking question brought Yuuri's attention to the fact that his eyes had begun to water up from his own frustration at not being able to explain himself to his father because no matter what Yuuri said, it fell on deaf ears. He blinked back the tears and regained some level of composure to coldly return his father's glare.

"No…" Yuuri whispered brokenly. "I'm not crying…"

"You better not!" Shouma snarled. "If anyone should be crying it's me and your mother for all the strife you put us through tonight!"

Yuuri summoned the last of his nerve. "I don't regret what I did. I don't regret saving Wolfram. If you wanted an apology and for me to grovel at your feet then you are sorely mistaken! I will never be sorry for saving Wolfram!"

"That creature clearly has you under some kind of spell!" Shouma growled. "Was I hallucinating or did you really just say, in front of all those people, that you loved a merman? _A male merfolk_!?"

Yuuri was unmoved. "Yes I did. And I meant it."

Souma threw up his hands in defeat. "You are clearly insane! He's not even your _species_! God! It's like I don't even know you!"

"That's probably the most accurate thing you've ever said," Yuuri sneered.

Shouma froze. "What did you say?"

"You don't know me. You never tried to know me. You just did your best to make me into something I wasn't," Yuuri explained. "If I wasn't exactly what you wanted, I was automatically a failure."

Yuuri turned to his mother, who looked like she was trying to become one with the wall. "You both thought that…"

Miko's head shot up. "No! Yuuri, honey! We never thought that! We don't think you're a failure!"

"Yes, you do!" Yuuri shot back. He jabbed a finger at his father. "At least,_ he_ does!"

"I only wanted you to become an honorable prince," Shouma said vehemently. "Like your - "

That did it. Shouma didn't even have to finish his sentence and Yuuri knew what he was going to say and the prince finally snapped.

"I'm not Shouri!" he shrieked at a decibel not even he knew he could reach. "I was never Shouri! I'm never going to be Shouri! _I don't want to be Shouri_! I am Yuuri! _Yuuri!"_

Yuuri emphasized each word with a bang on a poor nearby table. "That's where you went wrong! That's where you totally failed as parents! When you tried to make another Shouri! No matter how many tutors you hire or merpeople you make me kill in cold blood, I will never be like my brother and guess what? I don't ever want to be! And the more you try to force me to be something I'm not, the worse you make it for everyone! You never listened to me! You never paid attention to me unless it was to serve your own purpose like this bullshit of a marriage! And that's only because you want the iron ore and an excuse to get rid of me for good! You want me to be someone else's _problem!"_

Miko tried to tentatively reach out a hand to comfort her son. "Sweetheart, that's not…"

Yuuri jerked away. "I don't want to hear it! I'm tired of being ignored and patronized! I'm sorry I couldn't be Shouri number two! I'm sorry for being a complete waste of the Shibuya bloodline!'

Yuuri scowled at his parent's. His mother looked like she was on the verge of tears while his father just stared at him with an unreadable expression.

Fighting back a sob – he refused to cry in front of his father - Yuuri continued.

"For the first time in my life, I finally had something that was mine. Wolfram made me feel like I could do something right for once. He understood me and I understood him. I finally had a purpose that I chose for myself. For the first time in years, I had something that made me happy. I've been miserable my entire life and Wolfram changed that. I finally had something to call my own. Now you're taking that from me. You just can't leave me alone, can you?"

Yuuri could feel his nails biting into his skin from his clenched fist. "And that's still not enough. You want to kill Wolfram, too! He didn't do anything. He didn't ask to be here and you're going to punish him the worst! You are unbelievable!"

"Yuuri," Miko started gently. "Wolfram attacked the soldiers. He made himself look like a threat – "

"But he isn't!"

"I know, dear," Miko said quickly. "We're not going to execute Wolfram. We are _not_." Miko shot her husband a look when he made to protest. "Right now, we just need to get control over the situation. Many people were frightened of Wolfram. So we are just trying to dispel the situation before it gets out of hand and more people get hurt."

Finally, Yuuri began to calm down, still eyeing his parents suspiciously.

"We're just keeping Wolfram in the cell until everything quiets down," she continued, talking as if she were trying to calm a rabid animal. "I swear to you, he will be safe. When this is all over, we will let him go back to the ocean or wherever he'll be safest. I promise you this as your mother."

"And you will stay in your rooms," Shouma added gruffly. "Until we can figure out what to do with you and this mess."

"Fine…" Yuuri whispered grudgingly. "You don't care so why should I? I'm tired."

"Yuuri…" Shouma began but Miko cut him off.

"Shouma just leave the boy alone for now!" She said exhaustedly, not wanting to see another fight start up. "He's been through enough. We have other things to look after."

Not waiting for a response, Miko grabbed her husband's arm and led him out of the room. She spared one glance to her youngest son, rife with worry and sadness before closing the door behind them.

Yuuri waited until he could no longer hear their footsteps before he picked up a random vase and threw it against the door with all his might. The vase made a satisfying crash. Water and flowers spilled everywhere, the carnage of Yuuri's anger and resentment that had been building up inside him since he was a child.

"Damn it! Just damn it all to hell!"

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The king and queen walked down the hall in strained silence. Both lost in their own thoughts. So much had happened in the past few hours and with no time to really process it all. The foundling was a merman and their son was in love with it. They could only imagine the scandal that would occur.

"What is wrong with that boy?"

Miko sighed at her husband, but let him continue.

"I did everything I could think of. I even had tea alone with him like you suggested. But he still refuses to see what's right in front of him!"

Miko tried not to roll her eyes.

"I mean, seriously! What is his problem?"

"He doesn't have a problem, Shouma," Miko said irritably. "He is his own person. That's what he was trying to tell you and you still don't get it."

"I _do_ get it!" Shouma said indignantly. "I was sixteen too! He is just so stubborn, I can't even comprehend it! He is blindly devoted to his childish dreams!"

"He takes after his father," Miko muttered.

"I was never that bad!"

Miko scoffed and stopped in her tracks. "I can remember another young man about his age who was also a dreamer and devoted to his ideals. That young man believed that no one should be evicted from their own home for another's monetary gain no matter what the justification. I remember that man fighting the nobility, debating for hours and hours until he went red in the face for the rights of a people he was taught to hate. It was his devotion that made me agree to the arranged marriage because he was a man I could believe in."

Shouma stared at her in surprise. Miko huffed and turned to head back to her rooms to change out of her formal dress.

She glanced back at her husband, who was still standing in the middle of the hall. "You know, I do sometimes wonder what happened to him."

And with that, Miko disappeared into the darkened hall.

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Chapter 12!

You tell him, Miko!

This looks like a good place to end it!

Wow, three updates in less than two weeks. I've never been this on top of things before!

I really wanted to get this chapter out today because I am going on vacation to Georgia tomorrow and I won't be back for a week. So I wanted to give you guys something to mull over until I can get back to work on the next installment.

I hope you all really enjoyed this chapter. We will see even more drama in the next one. May you all have a happy Independence Day and for my readers who don't live in the US, Happy Friday!

Love, EB.


	13. Chapter 13

Syrena Chapter 13

Hello everyone! Let me take this moment to say wow, I was not expecting the wave of reviews I got for the last chapter. I must admit I did struggle with the decision to off Cheri or off a random mermaid, but I went with the one I thought would have a greater emotional impact and it worked. To be honest, when I first started writing this story, that scene was the first one I thought of and I wrote the rest of the story around that one scene. My hope is that you will all continue to read and enjoy this story.

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Syrena Chapter 13 – Confessions

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Shouma heard the early morning birds outside his office window and groaned.

He had gone straight to his office, his one sanctuary in the entirety of the palace after the disastrous night he had endured. He had sat, blank-faced and unmoving since he had plopped into the leather seat after the scolding he had received from his wife concerning his treatment of their younger son.

Every bone in his body ached, but not more than the soul-splitting migraine that was hammering away at his sanity. A thousand different thoughts ran through his mind as he tried to come up with a way to fix the disaster his son had thrown them in to as peacefully as possible.

The hours after the shocking revelation of Wolfram's origin had passed by in a blur for the weary king. He recalled personally apologizing to each and every guest as they trickled out of the ballroom and back to their quarters, murmuring behind fans and hands about this new scandal that had befallen the royal family. Afterwards, he and the Daikenja had tried to quell an irate Lord Norwich who was probably the most offended and surprised of them all at having nearly been attacked by a merman. Lord Norwich had voiced the same fear Shouma had seen in the eyes of the guests at the thought of merpeople actually gaining the ability to assume human form and the danger it presented to the people of Shin Makoku.

It was frightening. In all his years, Shouma had never heard of a merman growing legs and hiding amidst the humans. Even more frightening was the idea that the same merman had gained the trust and affection of one of the princes. The widely held belief was that Yuuri was under a mermaid's spell and thus had to be separated from Wolfram.

That was the only logical explanation that Shouma could come up with regarding his son's sudden insanity and love for a merman of all things. As eccentric as he knew his son to be, Shouma never would have guessed that his son would fall in love with one of the merfolk – and a male at that.

But then, if he thought about it, only someone as odd as Yuuri would.

Shouma sank further into his seat. Yuuri had been locked in his rooms for an indefinite amount of time. It was the only way to protect their son from the invasive eyes of the nobility and help them to gain control of the situation. Shouri had gone back to his own rooms and hadn't come out and Miko was currently shunning her husband in her private apartments.

Miko's words rang in Shouma's mind over and over again. His first response was to be defensive. Miko and Yuuri were so much alike in their idealistic attitudes that he couldn't even begin to explain to either of them why he had responded the way he had. He thought at the very least his wife would understand why Shouma was angry with Yuuri. This marriage arrangement was crucial for the expansion of Shin Makoku's economy what with the sudden influx of immigrants from the surrounding countries that had boosted the kingdom's population and demand for resources.

Shouma glanced down at his desk. He couldn't even see the finely polished wood for the piles of documents that littered its surface. Without having to really look at them, he knew what they were for. They were reports on the population influxes and reserves being used at record rates across the country. Some were requests for aid in places that were stricken with poverty and too few resources being stretched over too big a population. The ones that sat at the top of the pile however, were the statistical reports on the increases of mermaid attacks on seaside villages and shipping fleets in the north and western seas.

In the past four years, the merpeople had become increasingly aggressive. Conflicts over territory and food between humans and merfolk were increasing in frequency and violence on both sides. Fed up villagers were leading their own extermination groups and dropping poisonous substances into the water that killed off the fish and crustaceans that the villages relied on for food and employment. The sea creatures that survived and were eaten proved to be unfit for consumption. This in turn led to food shortages in some smaller villages and increased food-born illnesses in the population. The merpeople were becoming bolder in their interactions with humans. The calculated attacks on ships and the deliberate hunting for human flesh was instilling terror in the unarmed villagers and some were refusing to go out and fish either for themselves or for the fishing companies causing a dip in revenue.

One thing always led to another. The chain reaction was endless and increasingly dangerous. Shin Makoku relied on the ocean for trade and wealth. Other countries relied on the spending of Shin Makokuans for their own economic health and if Shin Makokuans weren't making money, they weren't spending it. Shin Makoku's allies were starting to feel the pin-pricks of a recession and many were sending frantic letters to King Shouma.

As if he could magically resolve the problem.

Or he could. If he could get his damned second son to cooperate or just be _normal_ long enough for Shouma to get some use out of the boy. Shinou be with him, that child was determined to send him to an early grave from the stress alone! Shouma was sure there was a time when he and Yuuri liked each other but that time was far away and during Yuuri's early years when he couldn't talk and was too young and stupid to have an opinion.

Shouma growled in frustration, letting his head land on the desk with a loud thump. He gave up. He truly did.

The marriage proposal had been a godsend. It promised to solve the current economic and environmental problems in one fell swoop. Lord Norwich was, in truth, a low-ranking noble and the distant cousin of one of Shouma's father's retired advisors. Lord Norwich's only claim to notoriety was that his family was remarkably wealthy due to their grand expanse of mines that the family owned. One of these mines contained the precious iron ore that was so effective on exterminating merfolk.

When Shouma had been told of this legendary ore, he didn't believe it. Ground up raw iron from a land-locked country that could kill merpeople with minimal environmental impact and using only a small amount? It was too good. It wasn't until he sent his own scientist, Lady Anissina Karbelnikoff, and read her own report on the substance that he actually believed such claims.

According to her report, Karbelnikoff stated that the iron ore was toxic only to the merfolk. It had either minimal or no effect on other sea-life and the amount needed to fight merpeople would pose little health risk to humans. It was cheap to produce and only small doses were needed. Seeing as how it could also reduce the merpeople populations without continuous use, it allowed for the oceanic environment to recover. A few lethal doses on a single colony and they were good and gone. They wouldn't even have to annihilate the entire merfolk population. Just reduce their numbers enough so that the villagers would be safe and the official extermination squads could handle them on their own. And since merpeople produced few males it would bring their reproduction to a near halt. It was perfect.

Except for the one catch. Lord Norwich would only allow Shin Makoku to use the iron ore if King Shouma agreed to have one of the princes marry one of Norwich's daughters. Seeing as how Shouri was the Crown Prince and worthy of a much higher-bred wife, Yuuri had been the obvious choice. Lord Norwich agreed as he simply wanted to have the honor of being related to the royal family, even if it was through marriage.

Even better, the daughter Shouma and Miko had ultimately chosen for Yuuri turned out to be a nice girl. Surely, he couldn't be faulted for actually trying to match his son up with a compatible mate.

But it all seemed for naught. Yuuri had once again managed to foil his father's plans and refused to honor his duty as a prince and inadvertently risk the economic stability of his own country.

Shouma wanted to cry. He wanted to beat some sense into his son and then cry. He had tried, really tried, to get Yuuri involved with the goings on with the kingdom and get him to understand why this was important, but it didn't work. That was why he made Yuuri sit in on so many meetings with his advisors. But the king could see the glazed over looks and immediately knew when his son had mentally checked out of the meetings with his retainers. So the information went over Yuuri's head. He thought back to Yuuri's early years and immediately berated himself and his wife for being so permissive at such a crucial time in Yuuri's development. Yuuri had been spoiled. They should have been stricter and more demanding of him. They should have paid more attention to him overall.

Even though he knew better, Shouma couldn't repel the thought of wishing he and Miko had stopped at one child. Shouri had been so much easier to raise. The elder son had blossomed into his role as heir and crown prince, excelling at his studies and applying himself to his responsibilities as soon as he was old enough. They rarely had to punish Shouri or nag him as the boy was personally invested in his development into the ideal future king. Shouri was smart and ambitious, mature and focused, always taking the initiative and taking pride in his duties. Shouri did his father proud and there were few things he could do to upset his father.

Yuuri….Yuuri was entirely different. Yuuri was the total opposite of Shouri. It was as if in conceiving their first son all the good qualities they could bestow were used up on Shouri, leaving Yuuri with…..whatever.

Yuuri for his entire life had been a challenge. From the time he was born and let out that ear-piercing scream at his baptism ceremony, the second prince made it abundantly clear that he would not adhere to the life of a royal. Everything that the second-born son was meant to do - serve as a military officer and strategist, aid the king, marry well and forge alliances - Yuuri simply didn't do and was not interested in doing any time soon. Yuuri was more interested in playing outside and reading storybooks about pirates and sea monsters than becoming a respectable prince. Yuuri avoided responsibility like the plague and Miko seemed content to let their son get away with it.

Shouma felt a pang of resentment toward his wife. Miko had been a permissive and indulgent mother to Yuuri. The queen didn't see a prince, she saw her little baby boy and treated him as such. Shouma could remember Miko stealing the child away for hours just to play dress up and take him on little outings just to show him off when he should have been with his tutors. Yuuri had been a beautiful child and Miko couldn't get enough of other noblewomen fawning and cooing over her baby. As he grew up, Miko continuously undermined Shouma's attempts to discipline the child and give him a more structured lifestyle. When Yuuri became a teenager and Miko finally let Shouma take charge of the boy's upbringing, it was a challenge.

To compensate for Miko's permissiveness, Shouma had felt the need to utilize more stringent tactics than he would normally use. Yuuri wouldn't cooperate unless forced so force was the method of choice. Shouma was content to allow himself to be Yuuri's idea of an enemy if it meant teaching the boy responsibility and maturity. Shouma comforted himself with the idea that one day Yuuri would understand.

Just as Shouma had understood when his father had done the same thing. It had taken many years and a drastic event, but Shouma had realized the error of his ways. He had been a spoiled and overly dreamy prince until his father had dragged him to a small refugee camp. For the first time, Shouma actually saw the desecration and suffering his people were enduring all because of one small group of people who were content to benefit from living in Shin Makoku but didn't want to contribute to the country's survival during war.

And this point was further driven home when Shouma became king at the tender age of fifteen, a year younger than Yuuri, after his father was killed during a skirmish with the very people Shouma had been trying to protect. The only reason his father had been present was because Shouma, so stubbornly loyal to his principles, refused to go on his behalf as a prince should.

Shouma was insulted that Miko had forgotten that detail, so committed to sticking up for her baby boy that she forgot how Shouma ascended the throne to begin with.

Shouma sighed. There was no point in mulling over it now. There were more important demands on his attention. Like what to do about the merman in his dungeon.

Now that his anger and shock had dissipated leaving behind only weariness, Shouma felt a small tinge of pity for the creature. Not betrayal and anger like he thought he should have felt, but true sympathy. Though he had proven himself a dangerous merman, Shouma couldn't deny the attachment he had formed for the creature.

Shouma also couldn't deny the positive impact Wolfram's presence had been on the castle, especially in Yuuri. He had never seen such enthusiasm and devotion to a single creature that it amazed Shouma that his once apathetic son could show such commitment to anything, especially another person. For the first time, Shouma saw Yuuri relax and exude contentment with his life. The fact that Wolfram's endless curiosity had the effect of motivating Yuuri to actually stay on top of his studies was an even bigger surprise.

Shouma also couldn't disagree with the fact that there was an odd wild charm about Wolfram. As annoying as he had initially found him, Shouma had grown accustomed to his presence in their lives and was even contemplating sending Wolfram to a trade school after Yuuri's marriage to Amelia so the boy would learn a skill to be able to support himself as allowing a commoner to claim sanctuary was never meant to be permanent. Shouma could see Wolfram being an explorer or a professor's assistant as he was such a fast learner and always curious.

Shouma was conflicted. He was torn between showing mercy to Wolfram the mischievous foundling and bestowing punishment on Wolfram the dangerous merman. Wolfram had attacked the royal guards and Prince Yuuri. Attacking the royal guards was an offense punishable by years of hard labor and attacking the prince was punishable by death. Wolfram had struck fear in the nobility and they were all demanding his head. Shouma would have to do something eventually.

A knock interrupted Shouma's musings.

"Enter," he called out gruffly, cringing at how worn out he sounded.

The Daikenja slowly entered the office. "How are you feeling, your Majesty?"

"I want to crawl into my bed and never come out, Janus," Shouma said with absolute seriousness.

Janus gave a sympathetic nod. "I do not blame you, your Majesty. This has been…quite a night."

"Most assuredly," Shouma muttered. "What brings you here?"

Janus stepped up to the desk, a grim expression on his face – well, more grim than usual, Shouma noted.

"The guards have just reported to me that the merman's injuries have worsened and the prognosis of his survival is….dismal to say the least," Janus said.

Shouma straightened. "What is wrong with him?"

Janus frowned. "I sent in a healer to examine his wounds from the iron ore and he reported that the…burns…are very serious. They cover over twenty percent of his body. Mostly his arms and torso. It doesn't look like he will survive the day."

"Is there any way we can prolong his life?" Shouma asked.

"I don't know, your Majesty," Janus said quietly. "I am looking over all the ancient and current texts on merfolk to see if there's any way to slow down the spread of the burns. My son is helping me."

Murata was a brilliant young man. "Good," Shouma replied. "Has he found anything?"

Janus shook his head no.

Shouma leaned in. "Was he in on my son's conspiracy?"

Janus thought for a moment before answering. "He has not given me a clear answer. But knowing how close he is to the Second Prince, I would assume he was at least aware of it."

Shouma humphed and sat back in his chair. That didn't surprise him.

"Do you want me to get more information out of him or punish him, your Majesty?"

"No," Shouma said. "Yuuri will take full responsibility for this. Murata is bound to the will of the royal family. That includes the princes. If Yuuri ordered his silence, then by law Murata did nothing wrong."

Shouma didn't miss the look of relief from Janus. "I thank you, your Majesty."

"However," Shouma added. "If you can get any information from him then do so."

Janus nodded, containing his relief at having his son's innocence confirmed. "Yes, your Majesty."

"In the meantime, we must do everything to keep the merman alive," Shouma said after a pause. "He is more valuable alive than dead. Whatever it takes, keep him with us."

Janus nodded.

"Yuuri would never forgive me if he died," Shouma whispered, but Janus caught it.

"I have never seen such passion in the Second Prince before last night," Janus commented.

"Neither have I," Shouma agreed.

"Lord Norwich is demanding we execute the merman after we get the needed information out of him," Janus said, though his voice gave no indication on how he felt about that fact.

"No," Shouma said quickly. "We will not execute Wolfram,"

Janus looked genuinely surprised. "But last night you were quick to order his death?"

"True," Shouma admitted. "But I spoke in haste. If he is truly dying then I see no reason to order his execution. The creature has suffered enough."

Janus bowed his head in agreement. "Yes, your Majesty."

"Let the creature pass into the next life on its own," Shouma muttered, staring off into the distance, mind a thousand miles away.

"Yes, your Majesty," Janus said with the tiniest hint of regret.

"If that is all, then you are dismissed," Shouma said. Without hesitation, Janus bowed and quickly left the king alone in his office.

Shouma sat alone, just watching the place where the Daikenja once stood. His wife's words came unbidden to his mind once again.

"_You know, I do sometimes wonder what happened to him."_

"He grew up, Miko," Shouma whispered bitterly. "Something our son needs to do…"

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Somehow, Yuuri ended up passing out on the floor of his bedroom. He awoke with a long groan as his bones cracked and struggled to lift him from the hard, rug-covered floor.

The remains of the vase he had thrown against his bedroom door after his parents had left were still scattered across the floor. Yuuri had paced his room in a panic, mind rushing with a thousand different possibilities and frantic thoughts until his collapsed from pure exhaustion and there he remained until the tiny beams of morning light peered through the curtains.

Yuuri sat up in a fog, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. He still wore the clothes from last night, now they were in stiff wrinkles and smelled vaguely of indiscernible scents. He felt gross and exhausted as his mind grudgingly recalled the events of the previous night. He ran his hand through the black mess that was his hair, making it stick out even further and rubbed away the remainders of sleep form his eyes.

Yuuri silently cursed. Last night was a disaster. Their secret was out in the open. Everyone present now knew Wolfram's secret and no doubt they would call for his extermination.

"I've failed…" he whispered. All his promises to keep Wolfram safe were meaningless. Yuuri had one task to keep Wolfram safe and ensure the merman didn't fall under the wrath of his father and yet that was exactly what had happened in a matter of minutes. Yuuri wished he could have someone punch him in the face for not only failing to save the single most important person in his life, but also allowing that very person to bear the brunt of the punishment. Wolfram was the least responsible for the events that had occurred and yet, he would be the one to receive the worst sentence.

Murata had bought them time. Shouma would keep Wolfram alive to get information from him, but the gods only knew how long that would last. There was also the issue of Wolfram's injuries from the iron ore.

Yuuri cringed and tried to fight back the sudden wave of panic. The last he had seen of Wolfram was when the guards had dragged the weakened merman from the ballroom. Wolfram's arms were covered in the chemical burns from the iron ore. If the wounds weren't properly treated, Wolfram was at risk for infection and possibly death. Even if Shouma left Wolfram alive, if he didn't receive proper treatment then he would die anyway.

"Dammit! I need to think of something!" Yuuri said to himself as he stood up from his spot on the ground.

How could he help Wolfram from inside his room? Until further notice, he would be locked in there until his father saw fit to release him and that probably wouldn't be for days.

Yuuri sighed. He didn't have much time. He had to think of something. It didn't matter what it took. As long as he could get Wolfram to safety then he would gladly pay whatever price was demanded of him.

A pebble hitting the window nearly jumped Yuuri out of his skin. Before the prince could figure out what was going on, another pebble hit the window, this time louder and was then followed by another.

Yuuri opened the curtains and stared in disbelief as Lady Amelia balancing precariously on a tree branch just a couple of feet away from the windowsill.

"Open your window!" he heard her muffled voice shout. She pointed to the brass latch just inches from Yuuri's hand and motioned for him to let her in.

"What the hell are you doing?" Yuuri said, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

"There are guards posted at your door!" was the only the explanation Amelia gave. "Help me into the room!"

Too surprised to do anything else, Yuuri quickly opened the window as wide as it would go and reached out to help Amelia make the short jump from the branch to the windowsill.

"Oof!" Amelia grunted when she made the leap a little too far and lost her balance, crashing them both into the ground.

Untangling herself from Yuuri, Amelia sat back and tried to fix her skirt, which had been tied into a bunch around her thighs in a vain attempt to preserve her dignity.

"What are you doing here?" Yuuri demanded after he caught the breath that had been knocked out of him from the impact.

"I came for an explanation," Amelia said, facing Yuuri with a serious expression.

"Oh…" Yuuri felt his stomach sink. He was not ready for this.

"You wouldn't believe the fiasco!" Amelia stated. "The other guests were all a buzz as they left the ballroom! Of all the things I would've expected a merman in disguise wasn't one of them!"

"Look, Amelia," Yuuri began nervously. "I-I honestly can't say how sorry I am this happened. I…don't know how to explain this. It's…."

Amelia held up a hand to silence Yuuri's rambling. "Just tell me the gist."

Yuuri hesitated. He didn't know if he could trust Amelia. She was somewhat his adversary and the biggest hurdle to his relationship with Wolfram. Though she proved herself unusually progressive-minded with her thoughts on androtropes, he doubted her acceptance of this particular situation.

Amelia sensed his apprehension. "I won't tell, I promise."

"How can I trust you?" Yuuri said skeptically.

Amelia was quiet for a moment. "If we're being technical, then you really can't. I wouldn't blame you, though. I'm assuming that the mermaid in the tank knew Wolfram? That's why he tried to save it, right?"

"Yes…" Yuuri said sadly. "It was his mother…"

"Oh lord," Amelia breathed in horror at the revelation. "I'm…..that's awful."

"Wait," Yuuri said. "You're not mad?"

"I'm not mad," Amelia assured him. "I'm just confused as all hell. I didn't know merpeople could change into humans!"

"They usually can't," Yuuri admitted. "It's just Wolfram is special…."

"I want to know everything!" Amelia demanded. "I must know everything!"

Yuuri paused. Amelia still hadn't given any solid indication of what her stance was on all this. She merely watched him expectantly to give some sort of explanation as to what had happened.

"If it will assure you, I do not bear any hatred for the merpeople," Amelia offered in an attempt to gain Yuuri's trust. "I'm….ignorant of them. I know they can be dangerous and yes, I was scared of Master Wolfram when I saw him fight the guards. However, my tutor always taught me to observe and learn as much as I can about a situation before I make an opinion and I want to know why what happened last night happened."

When Yuuri was still quiet, Amelia added. "And maybe I can help."

"Why would you help?" Yuuri asked her cynically. "The whole reason you're here is so the king can exterminate as many merpeople as he can."

Amelia frowned. "I'm not my father. And we've known each other for four weeks, so I have no reason to feel jealousy if that's what you're thinking."

"Jealousy?"

Amelia smirked. "I heard your little confession to the king. I was standing rather close, remember? And I wasn't the only one who heard it."

That was right. Yuuri had clumsily confessed to loving a merman in front of dozens of people. He resisted the urge to slap his own face.

"My father was absolutely livid," Amelia continued. "He thinks you're insane."

"Everyone thinks that," Yuuri mumbled.

"Please," Amelia placed a comforting hand on Yuuri's shoulder and smiled when he didn't flinch away. "I don't need details. Just the main points."

Yuuri gave a heavy sigh. What did it matter at this point? It was looking more and more doubtful that he would be able to save Wolfram on his own, so he had nothing to lose at the moment. Amelia didn't seem to be the kind of person to lie or betray someone. Maybe he could trust her enough.

Leaving out the more intimate details, Yuuri gave a brief summary of his life with Wolfram. He told her how he had found Wolfram and taken him in to prove that merpeople weren't evil or dumb. He told her how Wolfram won over everyone and learned human ways exceedingly fast. He told her how Wolfram had become important to him and that the merman made him feel important.

Once he had finished, Amelia remained silent, contemplating everything he had just told her.

"So?" Yuuri said quietly when Amelia remained silent for a very long time.

Amelia's hazel eyes pinned Yuuri on the spot. Her bottom lip began to quiver with emotion and the prince found himself quite confused at her reaction.

"And it's true?" she said finally. "When you said you loved him, it was true?"

When he had made that confession, it had been out of desperation and passion. Now that he thought about it and the truth sunk in, he was sure.

After a moment's hesitation, Yuuri sighed. "Yes…." He braced himself for the outrage.

The reaction he got however was very different. Of all the things Yuuri had expected, squealing was not one of them.

Amelia cupped her blushing cheeks in delight. "That's…..that's so _romantic_!"

Yuuri was flabbergasted. "Really?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "All my life I never thought I'd actually get to witness a real life romance between two beautiful boys! This is so exciting!"

Yuuri just blinked.

Amelia clapped her hands in excitement. "Betty will be so jealous! Oh the intrigue! A handsome prince falling in love with a beautiful merman! So deep is his passion that he is willing to give up crown and country for the sake of his true love! Never has such a story been written much less come true! And I, lowly Amelia Norwich, am a part of it!

"I'm afraid I don't understand…." Yuuri said slowly.

But Amelia was in her own world. "This is so exciting! And to think my father had to drag me from my rooms to come here! I thought you would be some spoiled and arrogant cur! I am so delighted! I now see that you are a pure heart, willing to protect the one you love in the face of adversity!"

Amelia suddenly grabbed Yuuri's hands and held them to her chest. "I swear to you, Prince Yuuri that I shall do everything I can to help you be reunited with Master Wolfram! I could cry from the beauty of this moment!"

Yuuri was so shocked by Amelia's very unexpected reaction that he nearly missed yet another pebble being thrown at the window.

"What in the world?" Yuuri said, looking past Amelia where the window had swung back into place from earlier.

Right where Amelia had balanced on the same branch, Murata clinging in much the same way as Yuuri's other unexpected visitor.

"Open the window!" Murata shouted. Yuuri immediately opened the window and was relieved when Murata jumped through with much more grace than Amelia. Though he didn't have a bunched up skirt to get in his way.

"Is my bedroom so heavily guarded that people have to sneak in?" Yuuri asked half-indignantly.

"Actually, yes," Murata said. "Your father ordered that your room be guarded at all times until further notice. No one, save for the king and queen, may enter."

"I had to sneak away from my dad," Murata said. " I need to tell you…"

Murata noticed Amelia for the first time. "What is she doing here?"

"I'm here to help," Amelia said when Yuuri failed to respond right away.

Murata eyed her suspiciously and then turned to Yuuri. "You trust her?"

"She said she was supportive of my and Wolfram's….relationship," Yuuri said, still processing the information himself.

"Yuuri knows that I am in support of androtropes," Amelia said proudly. "I want to ensure that he and Wolfram may live together in peace."

"Seriously?" Murata said. "You're not upset?"

Amelia shrugged. "I admit to initial apprehension, but now I can genuinely say that this is rather electrifying! I do love a good romance! Especially forbidden romance!"

"Okay…" Murata said slowly, just as skeptical as Yuuri.

"I think we can trust her," Yuuri said.

"Alrighty then…" Murata said. "But on to more important things. I have news regarding Wolfram."

"Is he alright?" Yuuri said, his worry quickly taking precedence.

Murata frowned. "I haven't seen him, but from what my father says, it's not good. The injuries from the iron ore are severe. He doesn't think he'll live past today."

Yuuri swore. "What else?"

"The healers tried to look at him, but he's being difficult. He won't let anyone near him."

"He's scared," Yuuri murmured sadly. Murata nodded in agreement.

Yuuri turned to Amelia. "What do you know about iron ore?"

"Not much, I'm afraid," Amelia said.

"What exactly does it do to merpeople?" Yuuri pressed.

"It just melts their flesh," she explained. "It's like liquid fire. When it touches their skin, it leaves behind burns. However, it is truly deadly when it is ingested by merfolk."

"Ingested?" Murata echoed.

"Yes. It burns them quite badly, but if it gets inside them, it basically melts their organs from the inside out and they die within minutes. That's what I've been told."

In his lessons on merfolk anatomy, Yuuri knew that merpeople had lungs instead of gills like fish. "So. If it gets in their eyes, mouths or…"

"If it gets inside them in anyway," Amelia supplied. "It can kill them. According to my father's scientists that developed the poison, when merpeople panic from the pain, they tend to swallow the water and the poison can also get through their ears, their nostrils – any bodily orifice really. But if they swallow large amounts of poisoned water then it kills them much faster."

"Is there a way to heal the burns?" Murata asked.

Amelia shook her head. "None that I know of. No one spends time looking for ways to help merfolk as you know."

That was the truth.

Murata faced Yuuri. "Remember how you healed Wolfram before?"

"Yes," Yuuri replied. "Do you think it will work?"

"It might…"

"What will work?" Amelia cut in.

"Human blood," Murata said at last after exchanging a look with Yuuri. Amelia was involved now so they had no choice but to let her in.

"Does it have to be from a certain person?" she asked.

"To be safe, yes," Murata said.

Amelia was about to say something else when a knock at the door cut through the tense quiet. Amelia and Murata immediately rushed to hide in the wardrobe while Yuuri went to open the door, taking his time to give them enough opportunity to hide.

"Coming," he called out when the person knocked again.

"Mother?" Yuuri said when the door revealed his mother standing in the hallway, flanked by the two guards stationed at Yuuri's bedroom.

"Hello, my dear," Miko tried to give Yuuri a smile but it came out as strained. "May I come in?"

Yuuri stepped aside to allow his mother to enter. "Why are you here?"

Yuuri would have to admit that he and his mother had a much stronger relationship compared to that of his father. He and Miko just connected better on a mental and emotional level. He felt that Miko was the only one who truly accepted Yuuri for what he was while trying to maintain the delicate – now nonexistent – peace between him and his father. However, that didn't explain why his mother had sought him out. Though often sympathetic to Yuuri, Miko usually sided with his father on most things or she would find a way to get Yuuri to cooperate using her charm and a well-placed bribe. Seeing her there in his room was unnerving as he couldn't help but associate her with his father and his father's motives.

Miko didn't answer him right away, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. She fiddled nervously with the hem of her sleeve before answering him.

"I came to check on you," she said, and then she noticed his state of dress. "You're still wearing your formal clothes…"

Yuuri looked down at his disheveled appearance. "I fell asleep."

"I understand," Miko couldn't help but reach out to fix Yuuri's wild hair. "Last night was….difficult."

"That's an understatement…" Yuuri muttered.

Miko gave a short laugh. "True."

Miko let her hand fall to her side, now satisfied with Yuuri's hairstyle. She had fixed it back into its usual shagginess with his bangs tucked behind his ears.

"Yuuri, what have you gotten yourself into now?" Miko sighed tiredly. "Your father is livid. The court is in an uproar. Poor little Wolfram is in a cell. It is….I really don't know what to do."

"I'm sorry, Mom," Yuuri genuinely was. His mother had to be his closest ally when it came to his father and court life. He was loath to disappoint her or cause her undue strife in any way.

"It is alright," she said gently. "It was a grotesque demonstration. Lord Norwich wanted to show off to the nobility and the nobility was curious of this new poison. I think it was a rather tacky display."

"Is he okay?" Yuuri asked, perhaps his mother would have more information. "Is Wolfram okay?"

"I went down to see him," she said. "He is weak. They are trying to keep him alive long enough to get answers. But he would try to attack the healers and they were too afraid to approach him after a while. So they summoned me because Wolfram is used to me."

"He really likes you," Yuuri said.

"I really like him too," Miko smiled sadly. "Such a terrible fate. They were too rough with him when he was clearly distressed. I'm assuming he knew the mermaid in the tank?"

"Yes," Yuuri pushed back the gory images of the mermaid from that disastrous night.

Miko inhaled sharply. "Such savagery! No wonder he tried to save her. The poor creature must be heartbroken!"

Yuuri agreed with a slight nod.

"He asked for you…"

Yuuri looked at her in surprise. "He did?"

"He kept whispering your name again and again," Miko continued. "The poor boy is in a daze. He's entirely incoherent save for your name. I thought best to let him see you before…"

Miko cut herself and stared at the ground. Yuuri immediately knew what she had meant to say.

Before Wolfram died.

"It would be cruel to deny him this," she whispered. "…and you…"

"What about father?"

Miko's expression hardened. "Let me worry about him. Right now, he is away with Lord Norwich. We must use this opportunity before it is gone."

"Why are you doing this?" Yuuri had to ask. This act of kindness was nearly too good, even for Miko.

"Your father is not a heartless man," Miko said at last. "But the kingdom rules him more than he rules it. I don't want to see you or your brother become the same way. Wolfram has been a blessing to you. That is obvious. Though, I can't say I entirely understand the nature of your love for him. I can't with good conscience keep the two of you apart when his fate is so uncertain."

Yuuri grabbed his mother into a strong hug. "Oh Mom! Thank you! Thank you! Oh my gods, thank you!"

Miko returned the hug with equal vigor. "You are welcome, my dear. Now come along! We must hurry!"

"Of course!" Yuuri followed his mother out of the room. He spared a glance to where Murata and Amelia were hiding.

Miko didn't even look back. "Tell Murata and Amelia they can come too."

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wolfram could hear them whispering. They were talking about him and the plain food he had refused to eat since Queen Miko had left a while ago. They stood watching him from beyond the iron bars that kept him locked in the tiny stone room where he had been thrown hours ago.

Wolfram silently curled into the blanket. When Miko had arrived and saw the state he was in, she let out a terrible scolding to the nearby soldiers and within minutes, Wolfram was brought blankets and pillows to make his prison a little more comfortable. A thin broth was given to him, but he refused to eat more than a few spoonfuls. He was in too much pain to have an appetite. He heard Queen Miko say something else to the soldiers, but he was too dazed to really comprehend what was being spoken. Minutes later, he felt thin pieces of cloth being wrapped around his ruined arms and some odd goo being rubbed on the spots where bandages couldn't reach. He winced in pain and hissed at the intrusion, but all this got him was a softly spoken word form Queen Miko and the meddling continued and he was too weak to protest further.

This was strange. He was sure they would kill him, but instead they chose to let him live and wallow in the pain brought by that cursed poison. He remembered the strange man that looked like Murata standing outside the cell asking him a bunch of questions he didn't understand and then leaving after a brief exchange with another human who had tried unsuccessfully to mess with Wolfram's injuries. The merman was too delirious and hurt to understand they were trying to treat his wounds. He didn't trust them. He didn't trust any humans and he berated himself for ever thinking otherwise, even for a brief moment. The only decent humans were Yuuri, Queen Miko, and Murata and yet, they were powerless to help him.

Wolfram sighed. A part of him wished they would just end his life right then. He wouldn't survive from his wounds anyway so why were they delaying the inevitable. Surely, they had no use for him.

Wolfram heard the distant echo of a door being opened and several feet walking along the damp stone floor. Wolfram tensed. He hoped it wasn't that one guard that liked to kick him and call him a "filthy rotten fish." That soldier took joy in aggravating Wolfram's injuries to cause him pain and would punch the merman if he tried to defend himself.

"He's right here," he heard a voice say. Queen Miko.

Wolfram didn't move from where he lay huddled on the ground when he heard the cell door open and a worried gasp from whomever had entered. He didn't move when a hand tentatively reached out to stroke his sweaty hair.

"Wolfram…"

Yuuri.

Of all the people Wolfram expected to see again, it was not Yuuri. He would not have expected Yuuri so bold as to rebel against his father and sneak down into the cells to see him. He had doubted Yuuri would have the guts. Until the young prince carefully rolled him over and gathered him into a gentle embrace, whispering words of comfort that lingered just beyond Wolfram's awareness. Few things could get past the pained trance he had fallen into as his mind tried to desperately relieve his suffering.

"Wolfram? Can you hear me?" Yuuri sounded distraught. He squeezed Wolfram a little tighter and the merman winced when the burns were aggravated, but he couldn't deny the sudden comfort he felt now that Yuuri was there.

"Come on, Wolfram," Yuuri prompted. Wolfram had yet to open his eyes fully. They had remained barely cracked since the activity had caught his attention. He felt Yuuri's hand trace the line of his jaw almost reverently and he leaned into the touch.

"What's wrong with him?" he heard Yuuri ask someone standing away from them.

"It's his injuries," he heard Queen Miko reply. "Once the iron ore melted his skin away it continued to dissolve into his flesh. He was in so much pain I had one of the healers drug him. He was also refusing to let anyone near him, so we had to subdue him somehow."

So that was what that was. A human had forced him to swallow this bitter liquid and within moments, his body became heavy and he couldn't think and the terrible pain faded into the background of his awareness.

Wolfram heard Yuuri use one of those "profanities" he told Wolfram not to repeat because they were "inappropriate." Yet Yuuri for some reason was free to use them however he chose.

Yuuri pulled away the blanket Wolfram had managed to wrap around himself and swore again when he saw the extent of Wolfram's injuries. Wolfram's arms were completely bandaged from the mid-bicep down to his fingers being individually wrapped in gauzy cloth. His chest where the water had soaked his shirt was wrapped up and the places where the water had splashed onto his face and neck had little cloth patches on them held in place by flour paste.

"Wolfram, I'm so sorry," He heard Yuuri choke. "I failed you."

"Yuuri…" Wolfram managed to croak with his bone-dry throat.

"Wolfram?" Yuuri perked up. "Are you awake?"

Concentrating really hard, Wolfram managed to open his eyes a little wider and look up at Yuuri's face. Wolfram noted that the prince looked positively exhausted as he watched Wolfram slowly wake up from his drug-induced sleep.

"You're here," Wolfram whispered.

Yuuri smiled down at him. It made Wolfram feel better. "Yes, I'm here."

"Did they throw you in here too?"

Yuuri shook his head. "No. Mother snuck me down here to see you."

"Oh…"

"How are you feeling?" Yuuri asked, gently petting Wolfram's hair.

"I'm hurt…" Wolfram stated.

Yuuri's face saddened. "I know. Wolfram, I can't tell you how sorry I am for all of this. You don't deserve this."

"My mother is dead?" Wolfram asked. His last memory of his mother was her reaching for him from the tank.

"She's dead, Wolfram," Yuuri said sadly. "We couldn't save her."

Wolfram was silent. Though he knew the truth, there had been a lingering hope that his mother could have survived, but that was not to be. Amidst his sadness, anger boiled up inside him. What they had done to his mother was unforgivable.

"I hate them…" he hissed.

Yuuri looked down in shame.

"How did they catch her?" he asked, though he dreaded the answer.

"I don't know," Yuuri replied. "I don't know why she was swimming that close to the shore."

"She was looking for me." It was the only answer that made sense. His mother must have gone looking for him. He and his mother had a special bond and they were always close to each other. His mother's playful smile flashed across his mind with the harsh truth that he would never see it again.

Yuuri said nothing, but inclined his head sadly.

"I'm going to die?" Wolfram said after a long silence.

"No!" Yuuri said harshly and then realizing how it sounded, he calmed down. "No. We're going to save you. I'm not going to let you die."

"How will I escape?" It seemed impossible to the merman. "I can't move."

Yuuri looked nervously over his shoulder. When he saw that no one was near enough to hear their whispered conversation

"We'll figure something out," Yuuri assured him. "Murata bought us some time so we can escape."

"I'll still die from the poison," Wolfram said hopelessly. Even if he got out of the palace, he wouldn't heal soon enough from his burns to save himself.

"There has to be some way!" Yuuri protested, looking around as if the answer would just pop out of the wall. "Did you swallow any of the iron ore?"

"Swallow?" what an odd thing to ask. "No, I don't think so."

Yuuri visibly relaxed. "Great. The iron ore is most dangerous when it's ingested."

Wolfram didn't know what that meant but he nodded anyway.

Yuuri peered behind him again. Still, they were alone and out of sight. Carefully to avoid making undue noise, Yuuri undid the buttons of his sleeve cuff. The fabric fell away to reveal his wrist that still bore the two sets of scars from Wolfram's bite when they first met.

"Try this," Yuuri held up his wrist to Wolfram's mouth, positioning it so that the large vein was easily within reach. "It worked the first time. Maybe it will work again?"

Wolfram could feel Yuuri's quick pulse just beneath his lips when Yuuri insistently pressed his wrist to his mouth. Wolfram felt his fangs descend at the prospect of drinking the life-giving blood.

"It will leave another scar," he pointed out.

"I don't care," Yuuri insisted. "It's the least I can do. A little blood loss is nothing."

"I don't want to hurt you." He really didn't. They would be truly unfortunate if Yuuri was too weak from blood loss to save him.

"Don't worry about me, Wolfram" Yuuri said. "You're the one bandaged up in a cell."

The blood would help. His normal healing abilities had weakened ever since he had ceased eating human flesh and blood due to living on the land. It was the only thing that could really help him at this point.

Taking great care to minimize Yuuri's discomfort, Wolfram bit into the vein just enough to get the blood to rise to the surface as he gently sucked it into his mouth.

The effect was immediate. As the human blood flowed into his body, Wolfram felt its healing properties take effect. The pain went away almost completely and he could feel his body begin to repair itself. As he continued to suck, Wolfram absently noted how sweet Yuuri's blood tasted. It had a sweetly vibrant taste that exuded the prince's bright and kind nature. It lacked the bitterness that most human blood had and it slipped past his lips with the greatest of ease. So warm and smooth on his tongue. If he could, he would taste it forever.

While he drank, Yuuri kept glancing over his shoulder to make sure they wouldn't get caught. He cradled Wolfram's head close to him to hide their activity and turned so that his back was to the cell door and hiding what they were doing.

Yuuri didn't flinch. He didn't resist at all. He did everything he could to make sure that Wolfram got as much blood as possible. He didn't seem to care for his own health, whispering words to encourage Wolfram to take as much as he needed and urged him not to worry about him. Even Yuuri saw the blood working as Wolfram's teeth bit in with more strength and the merman reached up to pull Yuuri's wrist even closer and sucked harder when the blood flow slowed slightly. He held Wolfram steadier when the merman's body began to shift and tense as it healed itself slowly.

"Yuuri?" Wolfram barely heard Murata's voice call out top them from the shadows.

"Yeah, Murata" Yuuri responded his voice sounding a little strained.

"Your mother says we need to go soon. She's already left to find the king, but she warned us that we couldn't stay long or they'll start to notice."

"Okay," Yuuri said. "We're almost done."

"Are you okay?" Murata asked. "You sound weary."

"I'll be fine," Yuuri said dismissively, returning his attention to Wolfram.

Hearing Yuuri's voice begin to slur made Wolfram gradually stop. With great discipline, he broke away from Yuuri's wrist and licked at the remaining droplets of blood in a soothing manner. Yuuri smiled at him and Wolfram noticed the thin film of sweat beginning on his brow and the suddenly pale look to his complexion.

"Feeling better?" Yuuri asked, voice audibly slurred.

Wolfram nodded, watching Yuuri carefully in fear that the prince wouldn't be able to get up.

"Are you alright?"

"I will be," Yuuri replied far too casually. "Just need a helping of spinach and red meat and I should be okay."

Wolfram had no idea what that meant, but if it helped Yuuri then he didn't need to know.

"I'm sorry we couldn't save your mother," Yuuri stated suddenly.

Wolfram looked into Yuuri's somber gaze and then looked at the wall just beyond them. Images of his mother's final moments came unbidden to his mind and he quickly tried to push them away but he couldn't resist the sudden wave of grief that came over him. If he ever escaped this hellish place, he would avenge her. He and his brother would.

"I tried," he said miserably. "I tried to save her. Whatever that was that he put in the water….it's like nothing I've ever seen…what is it?"

"Something terrible," Yuuri said hugging Wolfram a little closer, taking care not to aggravate his injuries. "Something that I will try my damnedest to stop from getting to the merfolk colonies."

"Gwendal will not stand for this," Wolfram whispered.

"Who is Gwendal?"

"My brother and leader of our colony," Wolfram explained. "He will want to fight. That is the way he is. The way _we_ are."

"I honestly can't blame him," Yuuri said after a pause. "What we put you through – what I've put you through – was terrible."

A small memory flashed across Wolfram's mind. Something he had heard Yuuri say to the king last night. The memory of those words came up suddenly amidst his despair and he had to find out what they meant. Anything to distract him from the gravity of his fate.

"Did you mean it?"

Yuuri looked confused. "Mean what?"

"Murata told me humans say 'I love you' when they want to be mates." It was during one of their many secret meetings to help Wolfram win Yuuri back from Amelia.

Even in the dim light of the cell, Wolfram could still see Yuuri's bright red blush.

"Well…you see…that was…I was….it was in the moment and….It just came out and…" Yuuri stammered and then slumping in defeat, he met Wolfram's expectant gaze.

"Yes….I did…" he whispered. "I don't know how or why, but I do. I love you, Wolfram."

Despite the pain, Wolfram couldn't help but smile. Those words alone made the dull ache in his arms dissipate and for the first time, he felt hopeful.

Yuuri's nervousness got the best of him and he continued to blabber on. "I mean….do merpeople love? I know you guys come together to mate once a year in the kelp forests, but I don't know if you're monogamous or…"

Yuuri froze when Wolfram, using all his strength to push past the pain of moving his arm, reached up to cup Yuuri's cheek, wishing he could feel the soft warmth of Yuuri's face through the bandages.

"I love you too," Wolfram said. He could feel his own blush warm his face.

"Really?" Yuuri said happily. "I was so scared you'd think I was crazy, since everyone else does and…"

"Hush," Wolfram ordered sharply, though he was still smiling. "I love you," he said again with more emphasis. Despite the cruelty he had endured at the hands of the humans, he couldn't deny that he wanted Yuuri.

Yuuri took Wolfram's hand from his face to plant a loving kiss on it. "I swear to you, I'll get you out of here. Just wait a little longer. I will come see you again as soon as I can."

"Promise?"

Yuuri kissed his hand again. "I promise…"

Wolfram noticed movement behind Yuuri and saw Murata standing there with a stony expression. "I think Murata is waiting."

Yuuri looked back at the other human.

"We've been gone too long," Murata said, though he looked as if he didn't want to interrupt their time.

Yuuri nodded and reluctantly placed Wolfram back down onto the pile of blankets. Wolfram wanted to beg Yuuri to stay, but he knew that if they were to escape Yuuri would have to leave.

"Stay and rest," Yuuri gently ordered him as he tucked the blankets around him. "Wait for me."

"I will," Wolfram replied, trying not to sound as despairing as he really felt. "You rest too."

Yuuri gave Wolfram one last kiss on his forehead and then left with Murata into the shadows of the cell. Wolfram listened to their footsteps fade away and then the sound of the door opening and then shutting, leaving Wolfram in the dim silence of his prison.

Wolfram resisted the urge to call after them and beg Yuuri to return. He could only wait and pray to Ryujin that Yuuri would rescue him and maybe, just maybe, they could escape together.

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Chapter 13!

This was really one big chapter that I had to split into two when I noticed that I was at 25 pages in Word Doc. Also, because of the emotional rollercoaster that was chapter 12, I thought I should give you guys a chance to catch your breath.

Also, I really wanted to write a fluffy romantic scene as this is listed as a romance and as much as I try to come across as sarcastic and stoic in real life I am a bit of a softie – I'm like Gwendal in that sense. I do hope I wrote the final scene well. I've never had to write a love-confession scene.

Thoughts on Amelia:

I'm glad most of you like Amelia. When I began to create her character I already knew I didn't want her to be a typical foil to Wolfram and Yuuri's romance. I meant for her character to simply be in the background but I decided I wanted her to be a little more interesting and spunky. I didn't want her to be the Token Anti-OTP Bitch that I see all the time in fan fiction and quite a few canon shounen-ai stories. Female OCs are rarely portrayed in a positive light, which is a shame because just as much can be done with female OCs as male OCs.

One thing that has often disturbed me about the shounen-ai/yaoi fan community in general is this tendency toward an odd woman-inflicted misogyny. I understand the use of a female character as a villain to steal one guy (usually the seme) away from the other. It's a pretty dramatic plot element that easily gets a reaction out of readers. There have been some well-written fictions that use this trope well. However, the majority are just so over the top and stereotypical that those that use the trope in a decent manner are negated. I mean seriously! Some of these female OCs are so evil and hammy I expect them to have a mustache they can twirl as they plot their evil schemes complete with theatrical evil laugh and lightening striking in the background!

And if there's one thing I try to avoid in my fan fictions, it's writing stereotypical/one-dimensional characters.

Also, seeing as how I brutally killed off Cheri, I needed someone to take on the Hopeless-Romantic-Obsessed-With-Yuuri-and-Wolfram's-Relationship duties. Lol. It was an executive decision.

Now we have the setup for the next chapter!

Please leave your thoughts. They are always welcome!

Love, EB


	14. Chapter 14

Syrena Chapter 14

Hello everyone! Thank you for your comments and encouragement! Your reviews were awesome and spot on as always. I can't thank you enough for taking time to give feedback on this story.

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Syrena Chapter 14 – Goodbye

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Three days had gone by since the revelation of Wolfram's true identity. The party guests had all left, tantalizing tales and rumors fresh on their tongues waiting to be spread like wildfire once they had arrived home. The reputation of the Shibuya family was severely jeopardized.

Yuuri was still relegated to his rooms. His father never bothered to rescind his previous order to have Yuuri imprisoned in his own rooms….or maybe he had just forgotten. Queen Miko assured her son that it was for his safety, but Yuuri couldn't help but feel it was more to keep him from doing something else "stupid."

All alone in his bedroom, Yuuri had plenty of time to worry himself into a tizzy over Wolfram. Much to his relief, letting Wolfram drink his blood had helped. Miko had informed Yuuri that Wolfram's condition suddenly made a turn for the better after his visit. The merman's wounds were healing and all signs of infection were subsided. However, the merman was still very weak and would curl into a ball in the corner of his cell to sleep, wrapped up in the blankets Miko had provided for him. The summer heat was quickly being replaced by the cool winds of fall and Yuuri knew that the cells had to be horribly drafty.

During his musings, Yuuri fantasized about life if it had gone well. He could imagine Wolfram being excited about snow. He had planned to take the merman ice-skating and ice-fishing. The Shibuya family had a beautiful winter palace in the mountains. He could see Wolfram enjoying sledding and snowball fights. It would have been so much fun.

But now, that would never happen. Wolfram's fate was still uncertain. Fortunately, Murata and Amelia had proven themselves to be useful allies. They would sneak into Yuuri's room and give him updates on what was going on. To his frustration, their reports consisted of King Shouma renegotiating the terms of Yuuri's engagement to Amelia. Lord Norwich was absolutely disgusted with the second prince and was no longer sure he wanted his daughter to be forever bound to a "fish-lover." Yuuri honestly didn't care what the lord thought. He would gladly live his life as a pariah if only it meant that Wolfram would be left alone.

On the third day, there was a breakthrough.

Amelia and Murata both showed up perched on the branches outside Yuuri's bedroom window. He let them in immediately and they both stumbled over each other and their own words as they tried to tell Yuuri the serious news.

"Our fathers have reached an agreement!" Amelia blurted out, cutting off Murata.

Yuuri gasped. "What kind of agreement?"

"You and Amelia are still going to marry," Murata explained.

Amelia jumped in. "Your father increased the bride price by fifty-percent. It was a heated debate!"

"You were there?" Yuuri asked.

Amelia nodded with a sly smile. "I've got it in my father's head that I'm so devastated over this entire thing that he's been telling me everything just to comfort me. He's very angry on my behalf."

Murata gave an impressed smile. "She shows a bit of cunning this one. My father has been telling me things as well."

"What's going to happen to Wolfram?" Yuuri didn't really care about the wedding or bride prices or whatever.

Bother his friends' face went grim. Murata was the first to speak.

"He has agreed at the insistence of Lord Norwich to have Wolfram admitted to the Royal Asylum."

Yuuri's heart sank. The asylum was a terrible place. He had visited once as part of his military training years ago. It was a dark, dismal place where the insane and disabled were sent to live their lives in squalor until death took them. The guards were notoriously violent toward the prisoners and when overcrowding occurred, the horrid yet legal practice of euthanasia was used. There were also the rumors of sexual abuse and human experimentation of the prisoners by the guards.

The thought of beautiful and vulnerable Wolfram thrown to the mercy of the asylum guards was intolerable. Even if the rumors were false, he couldn't help but feel they held grains of truth. If Wolfram's identity as a merman got out then he was sure many a physician and scientist would come to conduct cruel experiments on him or a lusty guard will force himself on Wolfram while his comrades looked on and cheered. The scenarios that crossed Yuuri's imagination increased in cruelty and all ended with Wolfram's inevitable death. Yuuri could not and would not leave him to such a fate.

"We've got to get him out of here," Yuuri said at last.

"There is more," Murata continued. "The nobility have pressured King Shouma into planning an attack using the iron ore against the merpeople. They're going after the White Cap Bay colony first in a few weeks."

"You're serious?" Yuuri said in disbelief.

Murata was grim. "The revelation of Wolfram's true identity has driven many powerful nobles into a panic. They fear that the merpeople have learned to change into humans and that this poses a serious threat. They want to get rid of them completely and as quickly as possible."

White Cap Bay was the largest colony of merpeople in the Western Ocean. It was one of four known merpeople colonies that were situated miles way from Shin Makoku's shores. White Cap was the closest and the largest, located on a collection of volcanic islands. Those islands were also home to massive depositories of precious metals. Many a royal fleet and pirate ship had tried to steal White Cap's treasure only to be overwhelmed by the viciously territorial merpeople.

"We have to warn them!" Yuuri exclaimed. "We have to help Wolfram escape so he can tell them. If we don't, it will turn into a slaughter!"

Murata nodded. "The nobility want the entire merfolk species annihilated. King Shouma was simply going to use the iron ore for population control and he tried to argue for it, but the nobility have voted against it."

Yuuri paused. "He voted against exterminating them?"

"Your father isn't heartless, Yuuri," Murata said sympathetically. "He believes in maintaining the balance of the ocean's ecosystem. He doesn't like merfolk but he understands that they contribute to Shin Makoku and the ocean environment in more subtle ways. It would be thoughtless for him to just wipe out the entire species. Mermaid poaching is a viable business and contributor to the economy, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Yuuri muttered in disgust. Mermaid poaching was the only legal form of poaching in the entire kingdom. Many fishermen relied on it as supplementary income. It wasn't an illegal practice but it was so dangerous that very few tried it. Only the incredibly brave and desperate did it. But the money was a strong temptation. It was another reminder of how devalued the merpeople where in the eyes of Shin Makokuans. It was also growing in popularity among the impoverished.

"But where will we send him?" Amelia asked. "Do either of you know how to turn him back into a merman?"

Murata ran his hand through his messy hair in thought. "That's the main challenge. We know human blood is a factor in how he changed into a human. But that's all we know."

"A factor?" Amelia repeated quizzically.

"Wolfram has only taken blood from Yuuri," Murata explained. "But Wolfram has eaten human flesh and blood before so why did it change him then?"

Amelia cringed. No doubt imagining the sight of Wolfram consuming human meat. She trained her face into a serious expression. "What other factors were there?"

"It was a typical day," Yuuri said. "Minus finding Wolfram. Shouri and I brought him up and put him in the pool…"

"Prince Shouri is in on this?" Amelia asked in surprise.

Yuuri waved it off. "It's a complicated story. I'll tell you later sometime."

Murata snapped his fingers. "It was the night of a full moon! Remember? That was the one thing we noticed when we looked over those texts!"

Yuuri eyes went wide. "You think that might have something to do with it?"

"Perhaps," Murata's brow furrowed in deep thought. "Full moons are powerful catalysts in many myths. It was the only environmental factor that was different."

"But that doesn't tell us how to turn Wolfram back…" Yuuri frowned, running his hand nervously through his messy hair.

"What about having him eat mermaid flesh and blood?" Amelia offered. "That's another factor."

"True," Murata nodded. "It's the simplest solution. Yuuri's blood was the catalyst. That, along with the presence of a full moon might be what caused the transformation."

"Where would we get merfolk flesh or blood?" Yuuri asked.

"I know of a witch doctor that sells it," Murata said. "I've heard that he sells it fresh."

Amelia crinkled her nose in disgust. "Do people actually eat mermaids?"

"For medicinal purposes," Murata explained with a shrug. "Some believe it's a cure-all for every ailment known to man."

"Still, ew…" Amelia muttered.

"But that leaves getting Wolfram out of the dungeon," Murata added with a frown. "I doubt the guards will let anyone other than the king authorize his release."

"We'll have to sneak him out," Yuuri said, his mind already conjuring various plans of escape.

Murata nodded. "That's our only option….but it's heavily guarded. They would recognize any of us…"

Yuuri thought of the possible ways they could orchestrate wolfram's escape. They were short on allies and his current arrest would make it near impossible for either of them to force their way out. The guards were highly trained and though he was decent with the sword, Yuuri knew that they would be easily outnumbered and overtaken if they tried to fight their way out. They would have to rely on deception.

"I think I have an idea…" He muttered.

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Yuuri climbed onto the balcony of Shouri's bedroom. He tried to keep his heavy breathing down as he lifted himself over the bannister and brushed off the leaves and bark from his clothes. It was late at night and most of the castle had gone to sleep. If his suspicions were correct then Shouri should be retiring for bed about now.

He glanced around. There were no guards to be seen, but he remained quiet and stopped low to the ground as he approached the big window-like doors. He could feel his heart thumping furiously inside his chest as the entire success of their plan hinged on his ability to obtain his brother's help.

He gently turned the brass handle. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. That was unusual. Yuuri fully expected to have to pick the lock and even brought a small tool with him. Seeing it as a stroke of luck, he carefully twisted the handle and as quietly as he could, pulled the door open.

The room was dim, lit only by the fire in the hearth. The air was warm and soothing, which helped Yuuri calm himself enough to concentrate as he ventured further into the room, listening for any sign of his brother's presence. The room was entirely empty of human life, but Yuuri's gaze turned toward the large bed when he heard an odd sound.

At first, he thought it was the breeze from outside, but he quickly realized the human sigh followed by a moan and the sound of ruffling sheets that came from behind the heavy curtains that completely hid the bed from his sight. Yuuri froze and listened in as the noises grew in pitch and passion as his mind slowly realized that he had walked in on a very awkward situation.

Yuuri's slightly panicked mind suggested he come back later when Shouri was done making passionate love to Emile. Then a stronger voice in his mind stated that Shouri could rut his lover later and that Wolfram's life was on borrowed time.

That left Yuuri with the task of interrupting their passionate encounter. He didn't think saying 'excuse me' would suffice and after a moment of panicked contemplation, he went with just callously announcing himself.

"Shouri!" he cursed himself when his voice came out as a cracked whisper. Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Shouri!"

The response was immediate. Yuuri's response garnered a string of profanities and a scared yelp from Emile accompanied with the sound of sheets being tossed aside and bodies being covered in haste as Shouri violently yanked open the curtain to glare at his younger brother.

"Are you just hell-bent on ruining every private moment of my life?!" Shouri growled.

Yuuri could feel the heat of his intense blush, but tried to maintain his calm. "I'm sorry, Shouri. I needed to talk to you."

"What the hell for?" Shouri hissed, resisting the urge to yell at his brother lest he risk the guards showing up. "What could you possibly want from me now?"

Yuuri steeled himself. "They are going to send Wolfram to the asylum. He won't survive there. I need you to help me rescue him."

Shouri scoffed. "Are you damned insane? Actually, don't answer that. Everyone knows you're completely mad. Are you so bent on causing as much chaos as possible?"

"Shouri, you have to help me!" Yuuri pleaded, his plan for stoic negotiation quickly dissipated. "You can't just leave Wolfram like this! You know him! He doesn't deserve this! You're the only one who can help me get him to safety!"

Shouri huffed in anger. "You have gone too far this time, Yuuri. You made you're bed, now you need to lie in it. You knew you couldn't get away with this for long."

"How can you be so callous?" Yuuri asked in dismay. "I get that you and everyone in this hellhole think I'm insane and useless, but Wolfram shouldn't be the one to suffer for it! I deserve to be punished, not him!"

"Haven't you made life worse enough?" Shouri countered. Unmoved. "So you break him out, then what? If you get caught then you can bet that Wolfram will suffer a fate far worse than the madhouse! And you can look forward to a life in exile or imprisonment. You will lose everything and for what? Father is so close to just casting you out and you would push him just enough so that he does just that! Why can't you leave well enough alone?"

"Because I'm tired of always ' leaving well enough alone,'" Yuuri said vehemently. "That's what I've been doing my whole life! I'm sick of pretending! Wolfram means everything to me. I thought you of all people would understand that!"

Shouri calmed slightly, but he remained cold. "That is the life of a royal, Yuuri. It is nothing but a continuous pretense dictated by duty and power. You will never be able to escape it. You will never be able to be anything else."

"It doesn't have to be that way!" Yuuri protested, but Shouri cut him off.

"No it doesn't but that's the way it is, little brother. You've been spoiled. You have spent so much time in your own tiny stupid world that you have no idea how life really works. You could have had a nice life if you had just done what you were supposed to do instead of wasting everyone's time being a hapless naïve idiot!" Shouri said frostily.

"You are such a damned hypocrite!" Yuuri hissed, his own temper rising out of desperation and frustration. "You are so ready to lecture me about being in my own world and yet here you are! Isn't this you being in your own world, Shouri? Sneaking around, giving head in a garden to a guard, and even bringing him into your bedroom! Does Emile know about the other male servants you've messed around with before he came along?"

Shouri's jaw dropped in absolute shock. "You little snot!"

But if they were going to talk about pretending, Yuuri wasn't going to let Shouri off the hook. "How many of them did you pay to be quiet? How many times have you made me promise to not tell anyone? Hell, don't you dare try to act like this doesn't involve you because you helped me save Wolfram to save your own hide! You and everyone here think I'm stupid, but that doesn't make me blind! Don't you dare act like you're better than me. I never treated Wolfram like I was ashamed of him!"

Shouri's temper got the best of him. "Because I know how to keep my dirty secrets, unlike you!"

"So I'm a dirty secret now?" came an angry whisper from behind them.

Both Yuuri and Shouri looked to the young man standing just behind Shouri. They became so engrossed into their argument that they forgot Emile was still in the room, and heard everything. Yuuri felt horrible as he watched Shouri's face turn from red with anger to white in embarrassment as the implication of his words sank in.

Emile had dressed himself while the two brothers had argued. He stood glaring at them, his knuckles clenched his robe shut so tight in anger that they were nearly white, and his eyes narrowed dangerously at them, particularly at Shouri.

"Is that what you think of me, Shouri?" Emile's voice was a low whisper, but both princes could hear the hurt and resentment that boiled underneath the misguiding calm.

All semblance of ire drained from Shouri and was replaced with mortification. "Emile, you know that's not what I - "

"Be quiet!" Emile hissed, his blue eyes pierced right through Shouri and into Yuuri, who was starting to feel a tiny bit sorry for his brother.

Emile continued. "I can't stand you sometimes, Shouri. A dirty secret? Is that what you think of our relationship? Everything you've said meant nothing?"

"No, Emile! That's not it!" Shouri moved over to reach out to Emile, but the guard coldly backed out of his reach. "You know why we have to keep it a secret!"

Emile looked at Shouri in disgust. "Why? To keep your status and the high regard of your father?"

"To protect you!" Shouri protested.

Emile scoffed. "By making me one of your guards so I can watch you dance, and talk, and flirt with a bunch of women while I stay hidden only to come out when you want it!"

Yuuri stood and watched the scene unfold in awkward silence. He really hadn't planned for this. He felt as if he had been the oblivious catalyst to something that had been brewing for a while now. He hadn't meant to cause a rift in Shouri and Emile's relationship and certainly not when he was racing against time to save his own lover.

"At least your younger brother has balls!" Yuuri looked up nervously. Emile was pointing to him. "He had enough spine to stand up to your father!"

"Yuuri is different!" Shouri pleaded.

"What's the difference? He's rutting a merman and you're rutting a male human! Both are seen as abhorrent in the eyes of the law!" Emile shouted at him, his calm mask finally breaking.

Yuuri blushed. "Um…actually, Wolfram and I have never- "

"Exactly! They'll have you hanged!" Shouri pointed out. "They threw the merman in the dungeon!'

"And yet, between the two of you, only Prince Yuuri is willing to sacrifice everything to save the one he loves. Yet you're too much of a coward to protect the one you claim to love!" Emile hissed back at him.

"For the love of Shinou, Emile!" Shouri cried out in exasperation.

Emile crossed his arms and regarded Shouri with nothing but contempt. "If you have a fourteenth of the bravery that your younger brother has, then you will help him rescue the foundling!"

"Emile!" Shouri was whining at this point. "You can't possibly be serious!"

Emile's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Either you help him or I will leave."

Shouri looked absolutely appalled at this sudden betrayal. "You would threaten to abandon me?"

Emile was impassive. "Consider it penance for your insensitivity."

Shouri looked like he would continue to argue, but the look on Emile's face showed that he was serious. The thought of losing his lover because of his refusal to help Yuuri must have been enough for Shouri slumped forward in defeat and turned begrudging eyes on Yuuri, who had wisely chosen to remain silent.

"You better have a plan," Shouri growled at him.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yuuri and Murata carefully followed a pensive Shouri down the stairwell into the cells. Emile had procured two guard uniforms and helmets for them that effectively covered their features from any observer. Only the most astute would notice the royal black hair of the prince and the bluish-black hair of the sage. They kept their faces straight and blank as they remained three steps behind Shouri.

The plan was simple. Shouri would inform the guards that they were taking Wolfram to the King's council room to be questioned. Once they made it out of the dungeons they would make a sharp turn down a servants' corridor toward the eastern servants' entrance that Yuuri used to sneak down to the beach. There, they would meet up with Amelia who was currently out buying mermaid's blood from a soothsayer not far from the main palace gates. Under cover of darkness, they would make their way to the beach and, with any luck, once they fed Wolfram the blood under the full moon he would turn back into a merman and swim to safety.

It was straightforward and yet, so much could go wrong. The plan hinged on the ignorance of others and flawless stealth. It was only Shouri's authority that would help them if they should come across a skeptic. If Shouri decided to aid them further.

Yuuri tried not to think about the emotional fight he had witnessed just moments earlier. It was the first time he had actually heard Emile speak openly. The young man was always in the shadows, just out of sight from any nosy eyes and the few times he had seen Emile with Shouri was by accident and always at night. Yuuri knew very little of Emile, only that he had started out as a common stable boy until Shouri promoted him to a palace guard, presumably so they could see each other more. He had thought Emile demure and shy, but he was proven wrong. Emile was probably the only person who could outright order Shouri around. Because of that, Emile had Yuuri's respect and gratitude.

Yuuri couldn't help but feel great sympathy for Emile. Shouri could be so oblivious sometimes to other's feelings. He knew that Shouri likely hadn't meant to hurt Emile, but what he said was true. Emile was Shouri's dirty secret. But Shouri shouldn't treat him like it. They both deserved better.

Yuuri wouldn't treat Wolfram like that. Even if he was sent away to Norwich and had to marry Amelia, he would never feel shame for what he and Wolfram had. If he did, then he would deserve whatever punishment fate bestowed on him.

To be treated like a disgrace. To be treated like a disgusting habit or a sin by someone who claimed to love oneself. To forever be treated like an outcast by the person one loved most. It was too painful. Yuuri would never wish that on someone.

"We're here," Shouri's gruff voice broke the silence.

They came upon Wolfram's cell and sure enough, there were guards posted on either side.

"Your Majesty?" One guard said in surprise. "How may we be of service?"

"I have come to retrieve the merman," Shouri said sternly. "He is to be taken to the council room to be questioned by the king and his advisers."

"The king left orders for the merman to be kept here no matter what," the guards pointed out. "He ordered us to not let anyone release the prisoner."

"That is true," Shouri replied smoothly. "But the king has found it wise to question the merman as his apparent ability to transform into a human is concerning to the king and his council. He believes the merman to know more than he lets on."

"But, your Majesty - "

"If there is any question," Shouri interrupted sharply. "Then feel free to send word to the king. But the truth remains that I need to bring the merman to the council room one way or the other. The king has requested his presence immediately."

Yuuri tried to stifle the shaking in his limbs. He had to give Shouri credit for sounding so confident. He doubted he would have been able to keep his voice even. He prayed that the guards wouldn't follow through with contacting their father or at least, take their time.

Without further question, the guard produced a large key and unlocked the cell door and slid it open. He stood aside to let them in.

Yuuri had to tell himself to not just run in and grab Wolfram. He remained steadily behind Shouri until his brother motioned for him and Murata to pick up the merman.

Wolfram was lying still with his eyes string blankly at the wall beyond his cell. His eyes were half-open and he hadn't bothered to move at all despite the disruption. Yuuri was immediately worried. Wolfram didn't even react when he carefully reached out and touched his shoulder.

"Wolfram," Yuuri whispered. "It's us. We're here to help you."

Wolfram didn't react. His face was pale and cold to touch. He looked dead. Fighting back a wave of panic, Yuuri shot a glance up at his brother, who turned to the guards.

"Why is he in such a state?" Shouri asked.

"He's been drugged, your Majesty," the guard explained. "He tried to bite a healer who came down to change his bandages. He won't let anyone near him. So we gave him a dose of a sedative."

Yuuri felt slight relief. At least, Wolfram wasn't unresponsive due to illness. As a matter of fact, the guard's story about Wolfram still having the energy to fight any strangers that came near him was a good sign.

"Your Majesty, excuse my boldness, but maybe he isn't in a condition to be questioned?" the second guards spoke for the first time.

Shouri waved them off. "No, no. This is fine. He'll be more cooperative this way. Also, I'm sure the Daikenja will have an antidote or something. How long ago was the dose?"

"About two hours, sir."

"Then he should be waking up soon enough," Shouri turned to Murata and Yuuri. "Well? Get him up!"

Without hesitation, Yuuri and Murata carefully maneuvered Wolfram's limp body until they had him in a basket hold with his arms slung around their shoulders. They avoided eye contact with the confused guards and kept their faces stern as they followed Shouri out of the cell and up the stairs. 

It wasn't long before Yuuri and Murata were breathing heavily. The stairs weren't long, but Wolfram was a dead weight and the passageway was narrow, making it hard to maintain balance and move in unison. Shouri glanced back at them, but hesitated to aid them as he had to keep the pretense of them being common palace guards.

"Are you all right?" He whispered when they were out of earshot.

"We'll be fine once we hit flat ground," Yuuri wheezed.

When they finally reached the top of the stairs and moved into the hallway, Wolfram began to come out of his stupor.

"Wha?..." he groaned.

"Shh, it's okay, Wolf," Yuuri shushed him gently.

"Yuuri?" Wolfram weakly lifted his head and shifted, nearly throwing them off-balance.

"Careful, Wolfram!" Yuuri whispered. "We're trying to help you escape. Hold still."

"Where are we going?" Wolfram's speech was slurred and his eyes were unfocused, wandering around the darkened hallway in confusion.

"Just hold on," Yuuri urged him. "Trust me."

Too dazed to really protest, Wolfram fell silent and watched them carry him out of the palace. He leaned his head to the side until it rested against Yuuri's shoulder. Yuuri couldn't help but nuzzle the soft blonde hair as a comfort to himself and to the merman. He didn't know if he would ever get the chance again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

They made their way in total silence. Yuuri sent a silent prayer of thanks to the gods, as they didn't run into any straddling servants or guards. It was late at night, most of the servants had retired and they timed their escape to happen in between the changing of the guards.

Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief when they made it to the eastern servants' door. Murata suddenly asked if they could rest as his shoulder was cramping and he couldn't hold Wolfram due to the pain. They moved to some bushes and waited for Amelia. Yuuri gathered Wolfram into his arms and into a more comfortable position. Yuuri cradled Wolfram against his chest, trying to block the cool evening breeze. He was finally able to fully take in Wolfram's appearance.

The merman was dressed in a plain shirt and pants. His ruined clothes were probably in the garbage. Yuuri ran his fingers along the bandages that covered Wolfram's injuries, noting that they had been recently changed. That was thanks to his mother. Yuuri was grateful that Miko had tried to care for Wolfram while Yuuri was otherwise imprisoned. Wolfram's hair was tangled and dirty. Yuuri carefully ran his fingers through the clumps to untangle the worst knots. Wolfram sighed and shifted in Yuuri's embrace, moving closer to nuzzle the prince's chest.

Wolfram drunkenly lifted his head to look up at Yuuri. He stiffened when he saw the guard uniform still not fully aware of what was going on, but Yuuri immediately shushed him.

"You're okay," Yuuri whispered. "It's okay…"

"Where are you taking me?" Wolfram whispered, relaxing.

"We're taking you back to the ocean," Yuuri said and tried to push down the lump forming in his throat. "It's not safe for you to be on the land anymore."

"Back to the ocean?" Wolfram echoed, eyes widening in surprise. "How will you turn me back?"

"We have a plan," Yuuri said, idly tucking a piece of Wolfram's hair behind his ear. "I just hope it works."

"Back to the ocean…." Wolfram whispered. "Back home…"

Yuuri had to bite his tongue to fight the sense of inevitable loss welling up inside him. He had forgotten that Wolfram's true home was the sea. He had hoped up until this very moment that Wolfram would find a new home with him. If everything had gone as it should have, Wolfram would have stayed with him. He knew it was selfish to feel such a thing, but he couldn't help it.

"Yes," Yuuri found it in himself to respond. "You'll be far away from here."

"Amelia!" Murata's hushed call interrupted Yuuri and Wolfram. Yuuri looked up to see an out of breath Amelia running towards them.

"Did you find it?" Murata asked urgently.

Still gasping, Amelia could only smile and hold up a dark bottle. "Yes….wasn't sure what kind to get…so I bought the most expensive one….said it was from a Syrena."

"A what?" Murata took the bottle from Amelia to examine it.

"A Syrena," she repeated. "The soothsayer said that the blood is of a Syrena mermaid. Don't know what it means, I just bought it from him. He was out of the cheaper stuff."

Yuuri had only heard a brief mention of the legendary Syrena mermaids. They were named for a powerful sea witch in Shin Makokuan folklore. They were said to be found in the Northern Sea and were considered the longest living and most powerful merpeople. Sailors often told stories of the Syrena and their ability to control the weather and grant wishes. It was common among seamen to cast small trinkets and sacrifices into the ocean when passing through the Northern Sea to ensure good luck and safety. Yuuri didn't know the Syrena were real and certainly not hunted. But if they were as powerful as the tales said, then perhaps it would help.

"Quality is better than quantity," Murata muttered, tucking the bottle into the hidden pocket of his jacket. "Let's hurry. Yuuri, get Wolfram up."

Now that Wolfram was more conscious, Yuuri and Murata were able the sling his arms around their shoulders and lead him toward the ocean. Wolfram weakly shuffled along and tried his best to keep up with the quick pace they had set, aware of the need for speed if they were to reach the shore.

It didn't take long for the group to get to the beach. The full moon shone on the sand and the incoming tide, casting everything in shades of silver and deepest blue. Yuuri scanned the shore and was filled with the memories of his time exploring and paying in the sand with Wolfram. The sadness came back stronger and he tightened his grip on Wolfram, who merely cast a curious glance at him, but said nothing.

They reached the edge of he shore, the water lapped at their feet as the tide rolled in. They were completely alone. Now they just needed Murata's hypothesis to work.

Since Wolfram drank human blood on the day the moon was full and shone during the daylight, perhaps drinking mermaid's blood during the night of a full moon would be the antithesis to the original spell. It was so simple as to almost be plebian, but it was the only one that made the most sense.

Murata and Yuuri helped Wolfram undress. They removed his trousers and slippers and helped guide him into the water. Once his feet touched the water, Wolfram sighed and then moved with a renewed energy as he was reconnected with his home.

Murata carefully let go of Wolfram and backed away, sensing that this was now the time for Yuuri and Wolfram alone. "Goodbye, Wolf. It was great being with you. I certainly hope this works."

Murata handed Yuuri the bottle and then silently stepped back to stand next to Amelia, and Shouri, who watched from a distance.

Wolfram looked up slightly confused, but returned Murata's calm smile. "It was good meeting you too."

"Be careful out there," Murata smiled.

"Alright, Wolfram," Yuuri uncorked the bottle and handed it to the confused merman. "I need you to drink as much of this as possible."

Wolfram sniffed the contents of the bottle and scrunched his nose. "What is this?"

"Mermaid blood," Yuuri explained simply. "We think that if you drink it, you will become a merman again."

Wolfram stared at the bottle and lowered it away from his face as if unwilling to consume it.

Yuuri pushed him. "You have to drink it, Wolfram! It's the only way we can change you back!"

Wolfram looked conflicted. "It is against the laws of the merfolk to consume one's own kind. It is cannibalism. It is forbidden."

"Wolfram, listen to me," Yuuri said fervently. "My father is planning on having your entire species exterminated. They will use the iron ore to kill every last mermaid and merman in the ocean. You're entire colony is in danger."

"The iron ore," Wolfram growled, no doubt recalling his mother's death.

"Wolf, I'm begging you," Yuuri implored. " It's the only way…You're not safe on land anymore. You've got to go back to your colony."

Yuuri pushed the bottle back into Wolfram's hands. "Please. There's no time to argue."

"Come with me," Wolfram said suddenly, pinning Yuuri with his gaze.

Yuuri choked. Wolfram's siren call echoed in his memory and its pull was just as strong as it had been the night he first heard it. Go with Wolfram. Leave behind his miserable life as an unwanted royal, and save himself from a life of humiliation and disgrace while trapped in a loveless marriage. To be with Wolfram under the sea, where he had always dreamed of being. The one place where he felt like he belonged.

Yuuri had to steel himself. "I wish I could. But I have to stay here and make sure they don't come after you."

The pleading expression was almost enough to make Yuuri change his mind. He grasped Wolfram's hand that were still holding the bottle and lifted them until the edge touched his lips.

"I would give anything to go with you," he muttered, staring at their overlapping hands.

"I don't want to leave you," Wolfram whispered sadly. "I already lost my mother. I don't want to lose you too."

Yuuri pulled Wolfram into a tight hug. "I know. I don't want you to go either. But this is for the best. You've got to find your colony and warn them about the iron ore and the coming extermination."

Wolfram looked up at him. "I know...It's just…you're my mate. I don't want to leave you."

"I'll never stop being your mate," Yuuri said without hesitation, not fully understanding what the merman meant, but he didn't need to.

"This will not be forever," Wolfram said with sudden seriousness.

Yuuri was equally as serious. "No, it won't."

"Yuuri, we have to hurry," Murata cut into their emotional moment. "The guards must have noticed Wolfram is missing by now."

Yuuri nodded and lifted the bottle to Wolfram's mouth again. "Hurry and drink it."

Wolfram drank the blood, trying not to choke on the taste and the fact that he was consuming his own kind. His eyes were clenched shut as he forced himself to drink the entire contents of the bottle until the last drop was swallowed. He tossed the empty bottle away. Not knowing what to expect, he instinctively clutched Yuuri's arms as they both waited in tense silence.

What must have been mere seconds felt like hours as they sat on the beach, now surrounded by the water of the high tide. Yuuri knelt next to Wolfram, who sat with his legs outstretched. Yuuri couldn't stop himself from staring at Wolfram's legs as the soft pale skin glowed in the moonlight. Not thinking, he reached out to trace his hand along Wolfram's legs, feeling the skin and invisible hairs for what would likely be the last time. Wolfram merely watched him, and sighed as Yuuri's hand ghosted over his hip and rested on his waist.

Abruptly, Wolfram gasped and convulsed violently against Yuuri. He clenched Yuuri's shoulders in fear as they both watched in a mix of wonder and horror as Wolfram's legs began to fuse together.

When Wolfram's knees touched, they became stuck together along with his thighs. The melting skin stuck and molded together, closing the space between Wolfram's upper legs. Only Wolfram's calves were intact and they flailed as the merman gasped in pain.

"It's going to be okay," Yuuri said, trying to hold Wolfram still and calm him so his legs could fuse together, but even he was terrified at the sight. The smell of blood mixed with the salty musk of the ocean. He was brought back to the pivotal moment when Wolframs lost his tail. He remembered the sheets and hunks of discarded flesh that fell to the bathroom floor to reveal Wolfram's human legs.

Yuuri held Wolfram's hand and he winced in pain as he felt Wolfram clench his hand to nearly the breaking point. Wolfram didn't cry out save for a few sharp gasps and flopped back onto the beach to stare up at the night sky as he struggled to endure the pain.

Yuuri watched in awe as Wolfram's legs appeared to melt and mold together. Wolfram's legs became on long deformed limb and his feet flattened and stretched out. The sounds of bone cracking, breaking, and reforming echoed over the sounds of the waves crashing.

Wolfram whimpered. Yuuri tried to comfort him by stroking his hair and whispering words of encouragement, promising him that it was almost over.

The human skin peeled away to reveal the blue, purple, and green scales of Wolfram's new tail. They sparkled in the moonlight and Yuuri was struck by how beautiful they were. He had forgotten the gem-like beauty of Wolfram's scales.

Where there was once soft human skin was now large scales hard as rock. Where there were once two slender human legs was now a long, muscular merman's tail.

Wolfram went limp as the pain subsided. He weakly lifted his head to look at his new tail. He experimentally shifted it in the sand, watching as the shallow water swirled around it.

"It worked…" Yuuri breathed. "It actually worked."

"I'm….normal again," Wolfram said in wonderment.

Not wasting time, Yuuri helped Wolfram move into the deeper water. He picked up Wolfram bridal style, grunting at the added weight of Wolfram's tail as he waded into the deeper water until he was waist deep. He gently lowered Wolfram into the water and the merman drifted away to try out his tail.

Yuuri watched Wolfram swim in a circle around him, getting accustomed to his original form. Yuuri had to admit, Wolfram took to it a lot faster than walking. Yuuri buried the ache in his heart when the reality of Wolfram leaving sank in. He backed up until he was now in knee-deep water and waited to watch Wolfram swim away.

Instead, Wolfram swam up to Yuuri and with a surprised yelp from the prince, yanked him down to kneel in the water. Yuuri opened his mouth to protest, but was quickly silenced when Wolfram's cool lips locked with his own.

Yuuri stiffened, but all resistance fell away when he felt scaly arms slink around his waist and a clawed hand slide into his hair, rendering escape futile. Though Yuuri wouldn't have dared try to escape from his own longing.

Wolfram's lips were as soft as they looked. Warm. Tasted like the sea. Yuuri could feel the warm breath from Wolfram's nose as the kiss deepened and he pulled the creature closer. Yuuri poured every unspoken longing into the embrace. His feelings that were stirred the night he heard Wolfram sing came rushing up and forced him to suck in the merman as far as he would go. The beach, water, the presence of his friends fell away to nothing but darkness and the feel of Wolfram's body against his own.

How long had he wanted this? Yuuri wouldn't dare admit it, but it was since the first day he met the merman. It was the first time Yuuri had remembered his love of the sea and the mysteries it promised. He wanted everything that Wolfram offered, everything that the merman was. Freedom. Acceptance. Happiness. Desire. Love. Yuuri couldn't remember ever feeling any of those emotions. At least, not this intensely. It was only because of Wolfram.

Yuuri's hands drifted over Wolfram. Not wanting to let go, but knowing it was inevitable. He felt the places where scale faded into soft flesh, where the human part of Wolfram ended and his merman part began at the waist. But that wasn't true. Wolfram had never been human and never would. He was something else entirely. Something Yuuri wanted more than anything else.

It was Wolfram that pulled away first. Yuuri held on until it was only their lips that remained joined. He cupped Wolfram's face to hold him there and the sea creature made a sound between a sigh of frustration and yet, yearning. Yuuri didn't care. He would prolong the moment as long as he could. Cold merman hands reached up to grasp his wrists and held there for a moment, the only indication of Wolframs own internal conflict. Finally, painfully, the hands firmly pulled Yuuri's own form Wolfram's face and the merman reluctantly moved back to look at him. Yuuri would miss those deep green eyes. Miss them terribly.

"I will find you again," Wolfram said quietly. Yuuri heard the underlying hum of his siren call. "You will join me."

"Under the abyss. Beneath the waves," Yuuri whispered. Fully bewitched. Fully Wolfram's. Fully content.

Wolfram smiled. "You will quell my passion. You will sail home to me."

"Yes," Yuuri sighed brokenly.

Wolfram let himself fall back into the water with a small splash. His head broke the surface one final time to cast a longing glance before disappearing into the inky black water.

Yuuri had never felt so empty his entire life. He cursed his luck, cursed his father, the court, Lord Norwich, and all the misfortune that had befallen him. The one thing that had brought him purpose and happiness. The one thing he could call his own was now gone. Thanks to the fear and bigotry of his own people.

He wouldn't rest until he had saved the merpeople. It was his only chance of ever seeing Wolfram again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * S * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 14 of Syrena!

Thank you to everyone who has given their feedback and support for this story. I wish I could thank each of you individually, but there's too many of you. Just know that I do read each and every PM, email, and review and it fills me with joy and pride to see that my stories have touched so many people. It is truly an honor and a joy to write for you all and my only wish is that you continue to read my work and I hope I always deliver the best.

And thank you to those of you who gave your condolences about my mother. It has been a draining year and your words mean a lot to me.

My New Year's Resolution is for this story to be finished by the time I graduate from my master's program in May. Hopefully that works out :P.

I look forward to hearing what you have to say about this chapter. It required a lot of emotional expression and I hope I got it right. The ending with Yuuri and Wolfram was probably one of the hardest to write as I wanted to get the feelings on point.

However, the scene with Emile was my favorite to write for this installment.

Thank you everyone and Happy New Year!


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